Battle Against Fate
by Awinnerwasyou
Summary: A retelling of the Kampfer anime. An American girl moves to Japan, but gets more than she bargained for when she becomes a Kampfer herself. As one who is terrified of fighting, can she survive the many battles that await her? More details in chapter 1.
1. Chapter 1: A New Life

(Ok, so this is my other main project at the moment (The other being Tales Of The Abyss Rangers), and is a fanfic based on the light novel, manga and anime series Kampfer. As said in the main description, this is a retelling of the anime, as seen through the eyes of an original character named Tara. Much of the story will actually take place outside of the events of the anime, but most of the major scenes in the anime will be featured, albeit with Tara involved in them. The story will, for now, end at the same point as the anime, but the events of the finale will be slightly different, to hopefully be more satisfying. Of course, the main cast will appear in this fanfic, while a second OC will also be introduced later on as well. This won't be a particularly action packed fanfic, at least not at first, since I intend to focus on how Tara copes with being a Kampfer more than anything. Anyway, this chapter introduces Tara, and explains the events that lead to her becoming a Kampfer. Please read and tell me what you think!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Kampfer.

Chapter one- A New Life

My sword was a very big and heavy one. Standing it next to myself, the handle would just about pass over my head. But nonetheless, I was swinging it around like it was a toy. And just as well too, since it was the only thing stopping me from being peppered with bullets. I lost count of how many I'd deflected, or cut in half, but I knew I couldn't keep this up. My assailant stopped shooting for a second.

"Heh. Yer faster than I thought. But yer so fuckin' borin'…. Ain't ya gonna try to attack me, too?"

I couldn't answer. I didn't know what to say. I just stood there, shaking. I'm supposed to fight this girl, but even with my power, I was afraid. I was never any good in a fight, and even though I'm now some kind of warrior, I just couldn't bring myself to hurt anyone. Not even someone who's trying to kill me. Just why are we being made to fight anyway?

"Meh. Whatever. Can't be bothered to wait for ya to make a move…."

The shooting started again. Wearily, I deflected more of her bullets, still unsure of how much longer I could hold on. She was right, I had to make a move, and soon- otherwise I'd be as good as dead. I didn't want to do it, but if this was supposed to be my fate, I guessed I had to get used to it…

"YAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

I lunged at her, still defending myself from the onslaught of bullets as I rushed forwards. Close enough, I swung my sword at her.

Too late.

She'd already anticipated my attack and jumped it in a manner that Mario would have been proud of. The force of the swing was so great, I managed to knock myself over. On the floor, I reached for my sword, but my opponent trod on my arm- keeping me from even getting up, let alone rearming myself. The next thing I felt was the barrel of a gun pressed against the side of my head…..

"Game over, Bitch….."

I knew this was it. My first battle as a Kampfer, and it was also going to be my last. Knowing that I'd be dead in a matter of seconds, I counted down the time before my enemy pulled the trigger…..

…...

Before I go any further, I suppose I should introduce myself, and explain how I got myself into this mess in the first place. So, my name is Tara Goodman. 17 years old, born and raised in good ol' New York City. Never really cared much about my appearance, but according to the guys at my old high school, I was "One of the hottest babes in school.". So I guess I'm an attractive girl, just not one who really likes to brag about it. Though perhaps I should point out that I have blond hair that goes all the way to my hips. Oh, and my eyes are green. Just thought I'd share that …..

My interests? The usual, I guess. I love anime, manga, video games, listening to music, reading and cosplay. Yes, I'm a bit of a geek, but I don't really care. I'm a whiz at maths, English and science, and I can speak several different languages, too! My mom works for a major international company, you see, and she deals with a lot of foreign bodies. So, she's had to learn a lot of languages, and she let me learn with her. I'm far from unfit, but I'd never win anything on track day, and I have to say, I'm a terrible cook. Not to mention I have a bad habit of forgetting things. But still, I'm certainly a bright student. Certainly not your typical blond bimbo…..

I also have some pretty varied tastes. I adore things that are really cute, but I love action as well. My video game collection is a mix of cutesy platformers and ultra violent action games, with plenty of JRPGs thrown in for good measure. My MP3 player has a selection of classical, rock, metal and J-pop, so my musical tastes are pretty varied too. One thing I should say- as I mentioned earlier, I'm a bit of a coward. I could never step in to help someone in trouble, for example. Nor could I stand up for myself if I was ever attacked. I've always hated fighting, so I always try to stay out of trouble.

As for my parents, they're pretty cool. I already told you about my mom. As you'd expect, she's often really busy, but she's always been there for me at the best- and worst- of times. My dad is currently unemployed, so he spends his days doing the chores. Like Mom, he's been very supportive of me all my life, and I feel so lucky to have him. Although Dad doesn't have a job, the money Mom makes in hers means that we've lived a good life, and we've been happy and well supported.

One night, while Dad and I where preparing dinner (Well, I set the table anyway- like I said, if I cooked, it would result in an unprecedented disaster!), Mom arrived home from work with a life changing announcement- she'd been offered a major position in one of her company's biggest branches! The catch? It was in Japan, so if she accepted it, we'd have to move there….. As a huge fan of all things Japanese, I loved the idea, and Dad wasn't too fussed about it either. So it was settled. We'd be moving to a new life overseas.

While all my friends were naturally jealous that I was moving to Japan (Hey, I would have been too if it had been someone else going instead of me!), in truth, I was really sad to leave them. My last day at high school was probably the most emotional day of my life, and I spent most of that evening crying harder than I ever had done in the past. Mom came up to my room while I was crying and gave me a big hug, gently telling me that everything would be alright.

"I know you're going to miss all your friends," She said, "But just think about all the new people you'll be meeting. Not many people will get the chance you have right now, so try to think of it as an exciting new adventure. Don't worry, we'll come back here every now and again to catch up on how everyone's doing, so it's not like you'll never see your friends again…."

I fought back my tears.

"I know, Mom. I'm really excited about this move, don't get me wrong about that. But I guess it's kinda hard to let go of something you've known for so long. I still don't really know what's going to happen when we move there. I couldn't be more excited, but if I'm honest, I'm a little scared about fitting in…."

"Don't worry, sweetie. Just take it one day at a time. I face exactly the same thing when I start my new job, so you're not alone. So let's just do our best, okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks Mom."

We spent that night in each other's arms, and I can't remember the last time I felt so comfortable. It was certainly was one night I'd never forget….. And so, with that, we were ready to move the next day. But although I knew my life was about to change, little did I realise that it would change in a way I wasn't expecting…

…...

The flight to Japan was fairly long, but nothing that really fussed me. I spent most of my time watching movies and reading, more or less what I normally do. From the airport, we took a taxi to our new home, and it was the perfect opportunity to take in the beautiful scenery that went past. I would have used the new camera I bought to take pictures, but I couldn't really do it justice cooped up in a moving car. When we finally arrived at our new house, I was curious to see what it was like. The house wasn't that much bigger than our old one, but it had everything we needed, and there was plenty of space in my room for all the stuff I was inevitably going to buy. Plus, the bed was nice and comfortable too. I spent most of my first night unpacking everything into my room, and then going over the details of my new school. I'd been accepted with a school named Seitetsu Academy Senior High, and I was surprised to learn that the boys and girls in the school were kept in separate sides. Almost no contact with boys….. That was quite unusual….. But still, as long as it was a good school, I wasn't complaining that much. I couldn't really sleep that night, mainly because I was still a bit nervous about whether or not I could fit into a country like this. But, as Mom said, I just had to do my best…

My first few days at my new school were certainly eventful. Most of the students there were surprisingly excited at the prospect of having an American student amongst them, and I was often asked about what it was like living in New York. I was even interviewed by one of the girls from the newspaper club. Her name was Masumi, and she seemed really enthusiastic about me. A little TOO enthusiastic if you ask me. I got to read the finished article, and it was greatly exaggerated…. I don't know what seemed to go through Masumi's head when I talked to her, but she seemed to think I was some burger eating cheerleader who spends most of my time chatting up boys. Well, she got the burger eating part right anyway… One of the other students told me that Masumi does tend to exaggerate her info, but she ultimately means well. I could see that. I wasn't bitter about it, in fact I actually saw the funny side of it. I even showed the article to my parents, and it now rests on the wall in the living room.

Once all the excitement about my arrival had settled, things calmed down a bit. I managed to make some friends pretty quickly, and I even found a great spot to study and read in the library. The actual journey to school was no problem for me to walk, though I preferred taking the bus. My studies hadn't faltered too badly either, despite the fact I was still learning how to write in Japanese. (Luckily, I'm a fast learner, plus I'd learned a lot when I studied Japanese with Mom, so it wasn't going to be a problem for too long.) Also, having cosplayed as several schoolgirl characters in the past, I initially found it pretty weird to be wearing a school uniform as part of my normal routine. It almost felt like I was cosplaying every day. But I soon got used to that, too.

Several weeks passed, and things were looking up. Mom was doing well with her job, We were getting along alright with the neighbours, and I was fitting in better than I expected at school. I couldn't have been happier. But then came that fateful evening….

School had ended for the day, and I made my way to the bus stop, as usual. Feeling like a little music while I was waiting for my bus home, I opened my backpack and searched for my MP3 player. Let's see….. My stationary box, a plastic bag I used to keep my lunch, my reading glasses, a flier for a minor anime convention (I wanted to show it to one of my friends and ask if she wanted to come along…), my text books….. Wait a second- one of them's missing! That's when I realised that I must of left my maths book in class! Crap, I needed that to go over my homework in the evening….. I had to get it right now, but my chances of catching the bus would have been slim if I'd have done so. No other thing for it- I ran all the way back to my classroom to get my maths book back. After a slight scolding from my teacher- telling me not to be so forgetful in future- I made my dash back to the bus stop. The bus was right there as I got there- maybe I could make it! Sadly, by the time I got close, the door closed and the bus left. Damn.

Knowing it would be ages until the next bus showed up, I figured it'd be quicker if I just walked home. It had been raining during the day, but that had thankfully passed by now. So at least I didn't need my umbrella….. As I made my way home, the sun had begun to set, and I couldn't resist looking at it. It may not have been the most beautiful part of the country- certainly not when compared to the scenery we passed on the way to our new house, anyway- but the setting sun still managed to make everything look beautiful. As I walked on, I soon came to a park. I knew I was nearly home now! I carried on my way, but then something caught my eye. I turned my head to get a better look at it.

It looked like some kind of plushie. It was a turtle one, and from where I was standing, it seemed kind of cute.

As I walked closer to it, I noticed a rip in it's side, and stuffing was coming out of it. How sad. Some poor child must have dropped it or something…. I figured the best thing to do would be to take it home, wash it, then repair it. Then I'd see if I could find it's owner tomorrow. I got the plastic bag I had in my backpack and went to pick the plushie up. It was soaking wet, and it was pretty dirty too. Then I saw it face to face, though, and I realised it wasn't quite as cute as it looked from a distance…. It had the creepiest face I'd ever seen, and that was before I even noticed the guts hanging out of it- not to mention the harpoon that was lodged in it's stomach….. Ewww… I quickly remembered- this must be one of those "Entrails Animals" that seemed to be so popular at the moment. I knew a girl at school who was completely obsessed with these things, god knows why. Now what was her name… Sakura! That was it, Kaede Sakura! She loved these things. Again, I couldn't help but wonder how someone as popular as her (She's actually considered one of the two "beauties of the school"!) could possibly have such a major obsession with something so…. gross….. Thinking about it, I wouldn't be surprised if this plushie got thrown out or something. Still, it must have belonged to somebody, so I felt obliged to clean it up and find it's home. And if I couldn't, perhaps Kaede would be happy to take it off my hands…. With that, I put the plushie in my bag and carried on home.

…...

Naturally Dad was home when I got back.

"Hi, honey. You're back a little late aren't you?

"Yeah, sorry about that." I replied. " I missed my bus, so I walked home. Hey, we're not using the washing machine today, are we?"

"No, I did a whole batch of washing yesterday. Why?"

"That's good. I found this stuffed animal on the ground on my way here, and I wanted to fix him up. But it needs a good wash first."

"Okay. Just try not to use too much detergent, alright?"

"I won't. Is Mom working late again?"

"'Fraid so. She won't be joining us for dinner tonight."

"That's too bad. But I guess it can't be helped…."

After my little chat with Dad, I threw the creepy turtle into the washing machine and turned it on. I had dinner and went over my homework while it was drying out, then I sent towards repairing it. There was quite a lot of stuffing missing, but luckily I had plenty left over from my own ill-fated attempt at making my own plushie (Not really something I wish to talk about, if I'm honest….), so I could fill this thing out , no problem. Within half an hour I had it good as new! Actually, looking at it, that stitch seemed to suit the repulsive creature quite well. My work done, I put it in my backpack ready for tomorrow. I glanced at my clock. Wow, 22:17 already? I felt beat after the long day I just had, so I decided to call it a night. Briefly heading downstairs to kiss Mom and Dad goodnight (The former of which had come back home a couple of hours ago), I went back to my room, got changed and went to bed. Tomorrow was going to be another long one….


	2. Chapter 2: Those Who Are Born To Fight

(Now that chapter 1 is over and done with, the story now begins properly. This chapter sees Tara becoming a Kampfer for the first time, and both Natsuru and Akane make their first appearances as well. I'm sure you've already noticed that Tara is a real wimp in these first few chapters. She won't be like this for too long, though, as she toughens up considerably in chapter 6, and she'll be a completely changed person. So don't be too hard on her, OK?)

Disclaimer- I don't own Kampfer.

Chapter two- Those Who Are Born To Fight

It was still dark outside when I woke up. Wondering what time it was, I looked over to my alarm clock. The big LED display read 2:51. Really early…. Obviously, I'd be better off going back to sleep, but for some reason, I felt too hot. That's strange- I've never felt this hot before….. I knew the temperatures in Japan got really high, but it was no hotter outside than it normally was, and I've been just fine up until now. Was I coming down with a fever? And just what was I holding on to? Hey- what WAS I holding onto? Realising something was in my hand- and it wasn't my duvet- I let go, got out of bed and turned on my lamp. And I couldn't believe what I saw.

I'd been holding onto a sword! Where'd that come from? Particularly surprising was how big it was- at least the size of my bed! While I was trying to figure this out, my eye caught the reflection in my mirror.

WHAT THE HELL?

I only just managed to stop myself from screaming out. Looking in the mirror, I realised that my hair had changed colour! My usual blond hair had now turned a sort of silvery white, and, whereas it had been straight before, it was now in curls! I tried tugging at my hair, thinking I may have put a wig on in my sleep, but I hadn't. It was my real hair! Then again, I don't own a wig like that anyway- I sold all my cosplay outfits before I left for Japan, and I'd been too busy to make any more since I came here…. Looking closer at my reflection, I noticed my eyes had changed too. They were supposed to be green, but they had now turned a light blue colour! What happened to me? Then my eye caught something glinting on my right wrist.

It was a strange looking red bracelet.

That's funny, I don't own anything like this either…. I don't even remember putting this on. Oh well, we'd soon change that. But as I tried to remove it, it wouldn't come off. It was like some strange force was keeping it in place. I tried harder- no luck. I finally spoke out loud.

"Shit! Why won't this stupid thing come off?"

"It won't come off because it can't!"

W-what? What was that voice? I looked around. Was it coming from my…. backpack? Great, now my backpack is talking to me… Or was it something inside it? I opened it and the first thing I saw was that disgusting plushie I put in there last night.

"Hi there! Thanks for fixing me up yesterday!"

IT SPOKE! AND IT WAVED AT ME! I fell backwards, trying to say something comprehensible, but all I could do was gibber like a madman.

"W-whawhawhawha….."

"You seem pretty confused." It said. "I guess that's understandable. You don't really know what's going on, do you, Tara?"

Understatement of the century. Hold on, that thing sounds kind of familiar. Like… Aya Hirano? I finally managed to say something.

"H-how do you know my name? And just what exactly has happened to me?"

"I heard your parents say your name several times, silly. Oh, I'm Pierced Sea Turtle, by the way. I'm your messenger!"

Shouldn't that be HARPOONED Sea Turtle? Never mind.

"Messenger?"

"Yup. You've been chosen, Tara. And now, it's your fate to fight!"

It will probably come as no surprise to anyone at this point that my patience was starting to wear thin. I picked up Pierced Sea Turtle by the head and squeezed it hard.

"WHAT….. THE….. FUCK… IS….. GOING….. ON?"

"Ow! I was just getting to that. Put me down!"

I sighed and let the plushie go. It dropped to the ground and picked itself up.

"You see, you've been chosen by the Moderators to become a Kampfer. And looking at that sword, I'd say you've been set up as a Schwert type too! Now that you're a Kampfer, you must now fight, no matter what."

"Fight who, exactly?" With all this noise, it's amazing my parents haven't woken up yet…

"Other Kampfer, of course! See that bracelet you're wearing? That's your contract bracelet. It's colour represents which side you're on. Your bracelet is red, while your enemies will be wearing blue ones. You following me so far?"

So much was going through my mind I just nodded.

"Good. Your bracelet will also glow when you're about to transform, so I'd be alert all the time if I were you! I already told you you're a Schwert type, right?"

I nodded again. There was something I really needed to say, but something was stopping me.

"Well, there are three types of Kampfer out there. Schwert types like you fight with swords, Gewehr types use guns, and Zauber types use magic. Still following me?"

I was finally able to say something.

"So what you're telling me is that I could be attacked at any moment by some guy with a gun, or a sword or whatever?"

"Nope. You won't be fighting any guys. Kampfer must be female, so you'll only be fighting girls!"

How reassuring.

"That's just about everything you need to know. Any questions?"

"Yeah, I have a few- why do these "Moderators" seem to think I have what it takes to fight? Have they even seen me? I'm a total coward! How am I supposed to fight?"

"You'll just have to. I already told you, you're now a Kampfer! It's your fate to fight at all times!"

"And just why ARE we fighting, anyway?"

"I don't actually know that. I'm only told what I'm supposed to tell you. Nothing else."

Typical.

"So I'm being forced to fight when I can't, and I don't even know why….. I need to lie down…."

I dropped onto my bed and closed my eyes. When I opened them again, it was morning. Looking around, I noticed that the sword that was in my bed had now gone. I also checked my reflection. Yup, both my hair and eyes had gone back to their usual colour. Guess it really was just some freaky dream. Thank god for that! Although that bracelet was still on my- huh? It WAS still on my wrist! So it wasn't a dream after all. Shit. And so, my life as a Kampfer had begun.

…...

I took a good look at my alarm clock. 8:00? Dammit, I needed to get ready fast, or I'd miss my bus again! I quickly got washed and dressed, then made a mad dash for my front door- nearly forgetting my backpack in the process. I made extra sure to hide my bracelet underneath the sleeve of my uniform, since I knew Mom and Dad would be suspicious if they saw it. Pierced Sea Turtle had made her (I'll refer to it as a she from now on.) home on my bed- couldn't really do anything about her right now…. As I ran out of the door, Dad called.

"Bye, Tara! Have a nice day at school!"

"I will!" I called back. Considering I've now become some super powered magical girl being made to fight, I probably wasn't being honest there.

Thankfully, I managed to catch my bus this time, so I didn't have to worry about being attacked on my way to school. As the bus made it's journey, I looked out of the window, deep in thought. Two questions kept creeping up- Who are these so called Moderators, and why are they making people fight? I wondered if I could really cut the mustard in this whole thing. Probably not. Suddenly, my attention turned towards a boy with blue hair running outside, desperate to get to the next bus stop on time. He didn't make it. I'd seen him a few times, actually, and although I didn't know much about him (lack of contact with boys in the school, remember?), I knew who he was. His name was Natsuru Senou- a pretty average guy, though kinda cute. Not really the kind of person I'd date, but he seemed okay. I suddenly felt a strange sensation on my wrist. I looked down and noticed my bracelet was glowing! Before I got too worried though, it stopped. I breathed a huge sigh of relief, but I wondered what could have set it off like that. Now that I thought about it….. Maybe I was seeing things, since the bus was moving pretty quickly, but I thought I saw something blue on Natsuru's wrist as he was running. Could he have a bracelet as well? Is he a Kampfer too? But then I remembered what Pierced Sea Turtle said to me….

"Kampfer must be female, so you'll only be fighting girls!"

Right. Natsuru couldn't possibly be a Kampfer, since he's a guy. Guess it was just my imagination, then. Still…. All Kampfer are female… What's up with that? I decided I should stop thinking about all this for now, before I got too paranoid…..

…...

I got to school with enough time to spare. Stopping by the cafeteria to grab something to eat, since I didn't have any time for breakfast before I left home, I then made my way to my classroom. As I was about to enter, I felt a bump on my left side. I turned to face a shy looking girl who was wearing glasses. She had short, orangey brown hair, which had a big yellow hair band in it. She seemed to be puffing and panting pretty heavily.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going." She said, looking a little red in the face.

"Hey, Akane. You OK? You look like you just ran a marathon!" I said, greeting her.

"I-I'm fine. I was just…. running a little late." She replied.

"Did something slow you down?"

"I…. suppose you could say that…."

Oh, right. I should say something about this girl. She's Akane Mishima, one of my best friends in this school. She's one of the librarians here, and is pretty shy. Though she's in my class, I only really got to know her since I'm a regular at the library. She's pretty cool, though her mind is a little… Well, you'll see for yourself.

"Ah, now that I think about it, I wanted to show you this…" I said to her, taking out the flier that I had in my backpack. Akane took a good look at it.

"A-an anime convention?"

"Sure. It sounded pretty good, and I really want to go. Are you free when it's on? Because I was hoping you could come with me. You know, just the two of us?"

Akane started blushing like crazy. Ooops, maybe I shouldn't have said "Just the two of us"….

"J-just the two of us? I-I-I-I… d-d-d-d-d-don't think I'm ready for that kind of relationship….."

Yeah. She does that sometimes. That girl has a pretty perverted mind….

"Ah, hah ha. I didn't mean it like that. You don't have to go if you don't want to…."

Akane calmed down a little.

"Oh… I'm so sorry! Um, yes, I'd love to go with you. Will I have to dress up?"

"I'll be cosplaying, but you don't have to if you feel uncomfortable about it…."

"Okay. Thanks, Tara. I'm looking forward to it!"

The bell rang. Guess it was time to start class…

"Oh, that's right- um… could you have lunch without me today, Tara?" Akane asked. "I have some important business on the boy's side…"

"Hmmm? Okay. I don't mind. What business would that be, though?" Dammit, Tara, you shouldn't nose into other people's business….

"I just need to talk to someone about something important. Maybe we'll have lunch tomorrow?"

"Sure, no problem!" I said, smiling.

We both walked into the classroom. Even though I tried not to, I couldn't help but think about business Akane had on the boy's side. Normally, girls aren't allowed over there, but since she was a librarian, she had a pass that could let her get over there. Agh, stop thinking about it. Won't do you any good. Besides, I have far worse things to worry about….

The day went by without any incident, though I noticed Akane wasn't present during the afternoon. I wondered where she was- surely that business she had on the boy's side wouldn't have taken that long? I thought I'd have a quick look for her after school. I checked the library, since that's where she'd normally be.

"Akane? No, I haven't seen her since lunch." said one of the other librarians. "Last time I saw her, she came in here with Senou…."

"You mean Natsuru Senou?" That was strange…. Was he the one she needed to talk to?

"That's him. I think they went somewhere private to talk. Haven't seen them since."

I thanked the librarian anyway and left. Guess the best thing to do would be to head home, before I miss my bus again…. Sadly, as I approached the bus stop, I saw my bus pulling away…. Oh god, not today! This was bad. I knew that now I'm a Kampfer, I could be attacked at any time and any place, so I couldn't afford to be out in the open like this…. I decided to walk home again. After all, I could be attacked while waiting for the next bus, so maybe if I walked, I may be able to get home before anything bad happens.

The sun was setting again as I walked nervously through the streets. My mind kept going back to what that librarian said back there. What would Akane possibly want to talk to Natsuru about? A confession of love? Doubtful. If that was the case, it'd be much easier for her to talk to him after school. No, this was about something else entirely. Oh, come on, why am I still thinking about this? It's none of my business… I was so deep in thought I nearly didn't notice that same strange feeling on my wrist that I had this morning. Oh no, PLEASE don't say that's…. Unfortunately, it was. My bracelet was glowing. And unlike this morning, it was more persistent. Make no mistake about it- I was about to transform. Does that mean there's an enemy nearby?

Suddenly, I heard a gunshot. Somehow, I knew that was aimed at me! I quickly tilted my head back, and a bullet just barely went past my forehead, lodging it self into the nearby wall. By this point, my sword had now materialised into my hands. Looking down at myself, I noticed that my uniform had changed somewhat. My sleeves had now become shorter, while I was now wearing black leggings underneath my skirt- which I definitely wasn't wearing before. Terrified, I turned to my left to see the one who shot at me. She was about my height, with red hair and matching eyes. She was also wearing a blue bracelet- yup, she was definitely an enemy! Judging from the gun that was being waved at me, she must be a Gewehr type…..

"Must be my lucky day." She said. "I get to fight two Kampfer in one day- and this time, I actually get to fight an enemy!"

I had no idea what she was talking about, but I wasn't concerned about that right now. All I could do was tremble as it became clear how in over my head I was. I couldn't have been more scared.

"Yeh sure are quiet. What's wrong? Ya scared? Too bad!"

I couldn't answer. All I could do was hope and pray I'd make it out of this alive…..


	3. Chapter 3: Letter From A Friend

(So, here we go with Chapter 3. This chapter, I hope, develops Tara a little bit, via the letter she receieves from her friend in New York. Will this friend make a physical appearance in the story later on? Only I know the answer to that, and I'm not telling! Speaking of appearances, my second original character shows up in this chapter, albeit lurking in the shadows. She'll make her first proper appearance later on in the story.)

Disclaimer- I do not own Kampfer.

Chapter three- Letter From A Friend

I guess there's no need to explain what happened next, since I already did that at the start of chapter 1. You didn't read that part? Then you might want to go back and read it before carrying on. Go ahead, I'll wait. Done that? Good. So you should now know that I ended up on the floor, about to have my brains blown out. With my opponent about to pull the trigger, I closed my eyes and waited for the inevitable. Time seemed to slow down, with meagre seconds feeling like an eternity. I just wanted her to get it over and done with….. Suddenly, I felt something cold on the side of my head. Was this it?

"W-what? What the fuck is this?"

My enemy's sudden outburst made me jump, forcing my eyes open. I looked over to see the gun in her hand encased in ice! She tried to shake it off, but the ice was too solid. So that's what I felt just now! But- where did that ice come from? Wait… I thought I felt something- someone, rather. There was another Kampfer here! While my opponent was still struggling to get the ice off her gun, I got up and looked around. Whoever it was, she was gone now…..

"Ngggh… Shit…. Didn't know ya had backup… I nearly had ya too…. I'm outta here. But this ain't the end- I'll bust your ass next time, as well as yer friend. Just learn how ta fight next time, cuz yer no fun as ya are right now!"

Her gun still in ice, the enemy Kampfer leaped away from the scene, leaving me on my own. I fell to my knees, clutching my chest and trying desperately to breathe. I couldn't believe it. I was so close to being killed… But who saved me? Still trembling, I shouted out.

"I-is anyone there? Can you hear me? Where are you?"

No answer. She must have left ages ago. Just who was my mystery saviour?

…...

I was in a terrible state after the battle- if you could really call it a battle... I had already reverted back to my normal form, but I was really badly shaken up. I had to calm down- if my parents saw me in this state, they'd start asking questions- questions that I really didn't want to answer…. Come on Tara, pull yourself together! Just relax… Take a deep breath. Do another one. That's it…. In and out…. In and out… OK, that's a bit better. I soon turned the corner to my house, but something else hit me- I was really late home. Much later than usual. What would Mom and Dad say? I had to make something up, fast… OK, I got something. Now, just take it easy, and don't let on that anything happened…..

"I'm home."

Mom was waiting for me.

"Tara! Where have you been? Your father and I have been so worried!"

"I'm really sorry, Mom. Some of my friends invited me to go shopping with them, and I really wanted to go. I tried to call you and say I'd be back late, but my cell phone was out of charge. I'm so sorry….."

Mom smiled and gave me a hug.

"Oh, is that all? OK, I'll let you off this time, but if your friends ask you out somewhere in future, and you can't contact us, say no to them, alright? And make sure your cell phone is always working!"

"I will. Thanks for understanding."

Mom's hugs always felt so good to me, so loving. It made me hate having to lie to her even more. But it was either that, or "Sorry, but I've become this sort of warrior called a Kampfer, and I must now fight others like me. I was attacked by one this evening, which is why I'm so late…. You wouldn't believe how close I was to getting killed back there!" She'd probably have a heart attack or something….

"Did you buy anything while you were out?"

Wait a second, there's an idea!

"Huh? Yeah, I did. I got this cool bracelet. Take a look!"

I rolled back my sleeve to reveal my bracelet.

"Wow, that's a nice one. Was it expensive?"

"Nope, it was on sale. Last one, too!"

Another lie. But at least I don't have to worry about hiding my bracelet from my parents anymore….

"I'm going up to my room." I said. "I need to charge my cell phone…"

"Okay. Oh- before I forget, this came for you in the post!"

Mom handed over a package addressed to me. I took one good look at the handwriting and I knew exactly who it was from.

"Awesome! Thanks, Mom!"

I gave Mom another hug and ran up to my room. Dropping my backpack on the floor, I got my cell phone out of it and attached it to the charger. I hadn't completely lied to Mom- my phone really was out of juice. Probably would be best if I charged it up, just in case. With that being taken care of, I turned my attention to the package. Opening it, I found a new book and a letter. Yes! I've been looking forward to this book for ages, but it came out a few days after I left for Japan. I then took a look at the letter. Yup, I knew it all along, it was a letter from Laura Taylor- my best friend back home! I started reading.

…...

**Hey Taz!** (I should explain- "Taz" is my nickname. My friends started calling me that since it was short for Tara. That, and the fact that my favourite cartoon character is the Tasmanian Devil from Looney Tunes…)

**How's Tokyo? Damn, I'm still so jealous that you're living there now! Hope you've been fitting in well, and you've made plenty of new friends. I heard that you're separated from the boys in your new school. Is that true? That really sucks…. Oh, and how are you taking to wearing a uniform? Must have felt pretty weird at first… Hope your Mom's getting on OK in her job too!**

**Some amazing things have happened since you left. Jane finally managed to go out on a date with Steve! Can you believe it? After all this time, they're finally together! I'm so happy for them! Sara celebrated her 18th last week too, so we had a big meal at our usual hangout! We had a real blast, but… well… it wasn't the same without you. We all miss you so much…. Really hope you'll come back to see us again soon.**

**Gotta go for now, but I'll write again! See you soon!**

**Lots of luv,**

**Laura xxxxx**

**P.S, I knew you'd been wanting that new book that came out after you left, so we all banded together to buy it for you! Hope you enjoy reading it!**

…...

Thanks, Laura. That means more to me than words could ever explain.

I knew the best thing to do would be to reply, so I got a pen and some paper ready. Dinner was ready before I began, so I had to wait until after I'd finished eating before I could start writing. Sitting down at my desk, I started on my reply. Pierced Sea Turtle, who had been watching me from my bed, quickly took interest .

"What'cha doin'?" She asked.

"Writing a letter to my friend in New York, where I originally came from." I replied. "Since she took the time to write to me, I felt I should do the same."

"Cool. Is she as bad tempered as you are?"

OK…. Just ignore the disembowelled plushie for now….

…...

**Konnichiwa, Laura-Chan!**

**Tokyo's great at the moment! Thanks for asking. Don't worry, I have plenty of friends there now, and I'm fitting in very well. Yes, it's true. My new school really does separate the girls from the boys. It's a real drag, I'll tell you that now! It was a little weird having to wear a uniform on a daily basis, but I'm more used to it now. Mom's been doing well in her new job, don't worry about that. She does often work late, but she always makes sure to give me some attention, so I guess it's not so bad.**

**Really? That's wonderful news! How long has Jane been wanting to go out with him? I hope it goes okay for them! Be sure to give Sara a happy belated birthday from me, will you? I'm glad she had a great day- did she get any cool presents?**

**I really miss you guys too. I'll definitely be coming back to see you some time, but until then, I'll be thinking of you all, always!**

**As for the book…. You know I love you, right? Thanks so much!**

**Love,**

**Taz xxxx**

**…...**

With my letter complete, I folded it up and put it in an envelope, ready to be sent. Naturally, I couldn't tell Laura everything- Not quite sure what she'd think if I told her about becoming a Kampfer, or my near death experience earlier this evening… Great, now those memories are starting to bug me again. And there I was thinking I'd cheered up… I flopped onto my bed, picked up my favourite teddy bear and hugged it, trying to forget about everything that happened today…. Easier said than done though, when a certain something brings the subject up again….

"So? Did you have your first battle today?"

"Shut up. I don't want to talk about it….."

"So you did! Who was it against? Did you kick her butt? Tell me!"

"I already told you, shut up! Just… please…." I started to sob.

"So you didn't win. Oh well, never mind. At least you're still alive. I'm sure you'll do better next time!"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Using my right leg, I sharply knocked Pierced Sea Turtle off my bed and into the small gap between that and my wall. I started to cry into my teddy, which I was now clutching harder into my chest.

"I… I don't want there to be a next time. I never wanted this in the first place…. I wish I never found that stupid plushie!"

I continued to cry, hoping desperately that my parents wouldn't hear. If they did, they'd want to know what's wrong. Why can't I pull myself together? Opening my eyes again, I was shocked to see a familiar glow. Oh hell, there goes my bracelet again….

"What the? Don't tell me I'm gonna transform again?"

"There must be another Kampfer nearby. You tend to transform when there's another one around!" said Pierced Sea Turtle, who had now managed to climb up back to my bed. Now she tells me… I stood up and dropped my teddy. I felt like I was being watched…..

"W-who's there?" I asked in a nervous voice. No answer. Now in my Kampfer form, I opened my window and looked out of it. I couldn't see anyone, but I could feel someone there. I really was being watched! I had the same feeling I had when I was saved earlier- I knew that the person watching me was the mysterious Zauber type from back then! But why was she here? Was she looking for a fight? Looking at the trees outside, I finally saw something- a shadow! However, she seemed to realise I saw her, and she jumped away, out of sight. She had disappeared again. Who the hell is she? Well, I guess I'm safe, for now…. I sat down on my bed.

"Whoever it was, I guess she wasn't in the mood for fighting." said Pierced Sea Turtle. "She must have been trying to get some info on you or something…."

I wasn't listening. What was that mystery Kampfer doing here? Why was she watching me? I looked down at my bracelet.

"So…. How long before I change back?" I asked. I really didn't want to stay in this form for too long….

"It's kinda random at first. Anything from a few minutes to a few days…. Eventually you'll be able to transform on your own once you're used to it!" came the reply.

"That's no good! I need to be able to transform back right now!"

"Hey, don't look at me. I don't make the rules here. It's all ultimately the Moderators' will!"

Still not good enough…. Just then, I heard the noise I'd been dreading- a knock on my bedroom door, followed by Mom's voice…..

"Tara? You in there? Can I come in for a second?"

Shit, shit, SHIT! I'm still in my Kampfer form! I can't let Mom see me like this!

"Uh.. um… Sorry, not right now! I'm… really busy at the moment! Uh- tidying my room! Yeah, it's a real mess!"

I think Mom could sense the panic in my voice….

"But your father said he cleaned it this morning….."

"Yeah, I know, but you know how messy I get! It's a tip now! So… I'll just sort it out, and you can come back in, say, ten minutes?"

I started tapping my bracelet quietly. Come on, you worthless piece of shit, work already!

"Are you okay? You sound a little… on edge."

"I-I'm fine, seriously! Just give me a little time, and you can come in, OK?"

Now Mom was really starting to worry. Worse luck. And then it got even worse.

"What's going on?"

Oh nonononono…. Not Dad as well…. Anything but that….

"Tara won't let me into her room. She sounds kind of panicked."

"I see. Tara! Open this door now, please!"

"Sorry, I can't!"

"Why not? Tara, your mom and I are starting to worry about you! What's going on?"

Now I was really starting to panic. Looking at my bed, I saw Pierced Sea Turtle chuckling quietly. Glad to see SOMEONE'S finding this funny…. Agh, what am I gonna do? Just think for a second. That's it! Why don't I just tell them I'm just trying on a cosplay outfit? That'll explain my silvery hair and blue eyes- just a wig and coloured contacts! Why didn't I think of that before? Duh! OK, I'll go with that. Of course, I'll only be able to get away with this a few times, so I'd better hope this never happens again! With that, I opened the door and faced my parents.

"Now, I know what this looks like, but I can explain. I'm just trying on a new cospl-"

Mom peeked into my room and interrupted me.

"Everything looks alright to me. Why were you so desperate not to let us into your room?"

Huh? No comment on my hair, or eyes? Looking over Mom's shoulder, I quickly saw myself in the small mirror that was opposite my door. I'd returned to my normal self. Stupid bracelet! NOW it decides to change me back….. Why couldn't it have done that earlier? Dad started to speak.

"Did you just say you were trying on a costume? Is it for that convention you want to go to soon?"

"Uh… Yeah!" I said. "That's why I didn't want you or Mom to come in. I was sorta getting changed…."

"So that's what it was." said Mom. "Seriously, don't worry us like that again! Anyway, the reason I came up here was to see if you'd finished your letter to Laura. I can post it for you on my way to work tomorrow if you want."

"You'd do that for me? Thanks so much! Here, I've already finished it."

I handed Mom my finished letter.

"No problem." She said. Smiling, she went downstairs with Dad. Phew! That was close. I really needed to calm down after all that… excitement, so I looked in my backpack for my MP3 player. Knowing Pierced Sea Turtle was about to give a cutting remark, I turned to her.

"Not one word out of you, hear me?"

"Okay, okay. I hear you. I never get to have any fun….."

I found my MP3 player, dropped onto my bed and turned it on. Right, no use listening to heavy metal right now… I think some Bach would be most appropriate for my current state. As the beautiful orchestral melody filled my ears, I once again tried to forget about everything that happened today. Not that it would help much- now that I'm a Kampfer, I'm pretty much doomed to be attacked all the time. I honestly didn't know what was going to become of me. Forced to fight, but completely unable to do so. I got lucky that first time, but I knew my luck wouldn't hold out. I just didn't know what to do. What I did know was this: Fate really was the biggest dickhead of all…


	4. Chapter 4: A Stigmata Of Sorts

(Man, I went through a major case of writer's block while doing this chapter. The fact that most of the time I couldn't be bothered to write anything didn't really help either. But still, it's done, and it's the most eventful chapter to date. This chapter focuses on the battle in the library, as seen at the end of episode 1 of the anime, with the added addtition of Tara, of course. Shizuku and Kaede also make their first appearances in this chapter. As ever, please read through and tell me what you think!)

Disclaimer- I do not own Kampfer.

Chapter four- A Stigmata Of Sorts

Approaching the school gates the next morning, I yawned once again. I must have only slept an hour or two last night, maybe even less…. I was so afraid of any further battles that I just couldn't switch myself off and get some sleep. And boy, was I paying the price right now. I felt so tired I kept thinking I'd drop down and fall asleep right on the school grounds. Plus, I really was a wreck- both physically and emotionally. Couldn't even concentrate on where I was going. I gave another yawn as I walked across the school grounds. Dammit, I wish my vision wasn't so blurry right now. Guess that's what staying awake for most of the night will do to you…. Suddenly, I felt a big bump right in front of me. I just walked into someone…..

"You really need to watch where you're going…."

"I-I'm sorry. I feel really out of it this morning."

I rubbed my eyes to try and correct my vision a little, and saw who I walked into. Great…. Out of all the people it could have been, it had to have been Shizuku Sango- the student council president….

"Ah! M-Madam president! I'm really, REALLY sorry!" I said, bowing repeatedly. Shizuku just looked at me.

"If you say you feel out of it, then you should do something about that. You wouldn't want to fall behind in class due to fatigue, would you?" She said, somewhat coldly.

"N-no. I'll wake up shortly, I promise!" I was kind of lost for words, it had to be said….

"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot to get done before class, so I can't really afford to waste any more time."

With that, Shizuku walked off in a rather graceful fashion. I couldn't help but look on. Remember when I said Kaede was one of the two "Beauties of the school"? Shizuku is the other one. Not too hard to see why either- her tall, slender figure, along with her long black hair made for quite an arresting sight. She was definitely the sort of girl who'd easily get a job as a model. Now if only she'd do something about that attitude…. Realising that I was trailing off again, I shook my head and continued my way to class. I felt a bit more aware by now, but I still couldn't help but feel tired. I hoped that today would be a bit more uneventful than yesterday, but I'd soon realise that it simply wasn't going to happen….

…...

"Tara Goodman! Are you listening?"

The teacher's voice snapped me back to reality. I hadn't fallen asleep, honest- I was still worrying about being attacked again after school. This must be how it feels for people who get bullied, only my situation was just a little bit different… With the entire class looking at me, I spoke up.

"N-no- uh, I mean yes!" I stuttered, still readjusting myself.

"Good. Well, considering English is your first language, I'd say you're the best person to translate the following passage. Take it slowly, since the rest of us will need to follow."

Shortly after my rude, but necessary awakening, the bell rang, which could only mean one thing- lunchtime! I went to the canteen with Akane to grab some lunch, then we both walked over to the library to study a little. It wasn't long before she asked the question I had been expecting to hear.

"Are you okay, Tara? You seemed really out of it in class today."

"I'm fine, honest. Just had a rough night's sleep, you know?" As with most other people, I knew I couldn't tell Akane about what happened yesterday. I hated having to keep silent like this, but what can I do? I was desperate to change the subject.

"Um…. Do you want to listen to my MP3 player? Everything's in English, so you'd have to work out the songs by yourself, but there's a lot of good stuff on there."

"No, that's okay. It'll probably distract me while we're studying. I can't see how you're able to listen to that and concentrate at the same time…."

"Well, I happen to find that it keeps me more focused. I suppose different people find it harder to concentrate when listening to music, though. Guess that's how some people are."

We continued to talk as we made our way to the library. It was mainly about my musical tastes, and Akane's disbelief that I happen to have heavy metal and classical music on the same MP3 player. We shortly arrived at our destination, so we sat down, took out our text books and started studying. It was only a few minutes later, however, when we were interrupted by a voice.

"Mishima-San! Can I talk to you for a second?"

I looked around to see Natsuru. He was rubbing the back of his head with his right hand, looking a little confused.

"Um… Okay, I guess." said Akane, standing up. "I'll be back soon, okay, Tara?"

"Yeah, sure. Have fun…" I said. Akane's face went extremely red.

"H-have fun with what? It's not going to be like THAT, if that's what you're thinking! It's not, is it?"

"I don't know what you mean." said Natsuru, looking like he really didn't know what was going through Akane's mind. He honestly didn't. "I just need some advice, that's all."

"Oh. Is that all it was?" said Akane. "Please stop scaring me like that…." No offence, Akane, but maybe you should get your mind out of the gutter every now and then…. Both she and Natsuru went a little deeper into the library to have their little talk, so I decided to put all my energy into my studies before I became too curious about what they were talking about. I decided to put a little music on- shouldn't be a problem here as long as I keep it turned right down. No sooner had I reached for my backpack, however, I heard a really loud crash. All the other students looked in it's direction, some of them even getting out of their seats.

"Shit! What the hell was that?" said someone behind me. Then came another crash.

"Something's happening down there. We need to get out of here, fast!" said another voice. With that, everyone started to run out of the library. Unlike everyone else there, I knew exactly what was going on, and I didn't want to be a part of it. I had get out of here while I still could. Grabbing my backpack, I made a break for the exit, hoping that Akane and Natsuru would be okay. But as I ran, I felt that familiar sensation again. I looked at my wrist and squeaked slightly- yes, that was indeed my bracelet glowing again. Guess that confirms my suspicions- there really were Kampfers battling down there. Fuck, this was the last thing I needed. If I left through the exit like everyone else, I'd end up transforming in front of all of them. Can't have that. Looks like I'd have to find another exit, away from everyone else. But that meant going to where the action is… Why me?

Sword in hand, I looked around at the damage. Several bookcases had toppled over, badly damaged. It looked like some of them had even been cut in half. Another Schwert type, definitely. But what about the other Kampfer? Obviously, I wasn't the target here, otherwise I'd have been attacked where I was sitting earlier. There had to be someone else here…. In the meantime, I was also trying to remember where the nearest exit was. I've been here plenty of times already, so just think! Ah! Now I remember! There was one on the upper floor! Still pretty far from here, though- I wouldn't be surprised if that's where the fight's going on. But it was the only chance I had to get out in one piece. I sped through the battle torn library, hoping no one would notice me. What really surprised me was how agile and quiet I was despite the heavy sword I was carrying. I suppose I should be thankful for the little things… A little further in, I heard a few gunshots in the distance, followed by another crash. Looks like I was bang on the money. Whoever was fighting, was doing so near the exit I was desperately trying to reach. The noises got louder as I got closer to my goal- I was right on top of the fighting now. My eyes quickly moved towards a staircase- yes! That's my ticket out of here! Now to figure out how to get to it… I peeked around the corner of the bookcase I was hiding behind- just in time to see what looked like a pair of blades attached to a chain going through several more bookcases. Thankfully, I was nowhere near the ones that got speared, so I knew that wasn't aimed at me. But if I didn't move soon, it would surely only be a matter of time before I was discovered. And I didn't know whether or not the one throwing that weapon was friend or foe… Suddenly, the same blade struck again, cutting another bookcase in half. Now would be a good time to get going…. As I ran, I heard some voices in the near distance. It had to be the other Kampfer- no, there were two voices, so there had to be two of them. Counting me as well, that would make four Kampfer in this whole mess… Getting nearer, I hid behind another bookcase to listen in.

"B-bait? Me?" It was a voice I hadn't heard before, definitely female, but with something of a masculine tone to it.

"Don't worry. I'm counting on you, partner!" OK, now that was a voice I recognised, and it made my blood freeze. It was the same Kampfer I fought yesterday. Shit, I was hoping I wouldn't run into her so soon… Still, they were both preoccupied with that Schwert user, so if I move quickly…. I then heard footsteps.

"Here goes!" It came from the new girl, and no sooner had she run off, the assault from the mystery Schwert resumed, and the blade and chain combo smashed through more scenery, trying to get a hit in. I finally left my position and dashed towards the staircase. Thankfully, I made it before anyone could notice me. Now I just need to get up there and through the exit and I'm home free! I kept my head down as I went up the stairs, so I wouldn't be spotted as I made my escape. Once at the top, I stopped by the corner of the landing to see if the coast was clear. It wasn't. There was someone blocking the exit, and I knew who it was. It was Shizuku- that's right, the student council president herself! In her hand, she was carrying the same blade and chain that had been attacking the two Kampfer down below. Looking closer, I noticed that part of her hair was a different colour to the rest of her usual black hair. Sort of a purpley silver sort of colour. So Shizuku is also a Kampfer- and the one responsible for this carnage in the first place! I hid behind the corner landing again, and started shaking again. I was trapped. There was no way I could make it to the exit without Shizuku knowing… But before I could think anymore, I heard yet another crash, and after a brief pause, the unfamiliar voice spoke again.

"Sakura…San…." Wait- was Kaede here too? She must have gotten stuck here when the attacks began. I then heard the click of a gun being pointed.

"So you're the one behind this!" shouted the Kampfer from yesterday. Oh, no, she's going to shoot Kaede, isn't she?

"Stop!" The other voice rang out, and I then heard a brief struggle just as the gunshot was fired. The bullet had thankfully hit the wall, missing Kaede, who I then heard drop to the floor. At least she wasn't hurt…. At his point, Shizuku used this opportunity to attack again, leaving herself wide open. Without thinking, I rushed out from my cover, and the next thing I knew, my sword was right up against Shizuku's neck- if it had been any closer, it would have gone straight through…. What the hell was I doing? I should have run straight for the exit, but instead, I was confronting someone who's much better at fighting than I am. Did I want her to stop this? As I was standing there, anyone who saw it would think I was completely still. On the outside, at least, I was. But inside, I was like jelly. If anything, I was even more scared now than I was yesterday evening… Shizuku turned her gaze to me.

"Th-th-th-th-that's enough!" I stammered. Great, I corner the one who's been wrecking this place, and all I can do is talk like Porky Pig… Just then, my attention turned towards the two Kampfer on the ground, who had just dodged Shizuku's last attack. It just occurred to me, it had only been a few seconds since Kaede had nearly been shot, and only a few seconds since I made my move on Shizuku…

"Look, it isn't her." said the voice belonging to the Kampfer I didn't recognise. She was obviously talking about Kaede.

"God dammit… It would have been better if that bitch was a Kampfer…"

"Do you really hate her that much?"

Shizuku broke my concentration away from the conversation.

"So, the American is also a Kampfer. Interesting. But you have a lot of nerve to attack an ally,…"

An ally? Well, she could see my bracelet. Guess that mean she's a red one as well.

"You have excellent control over your Schwert, but…. you're afraid, aren't you? You never had any intention of fighting- all you want to do is run away, am I right?"

H-how did she know? It's not like I was physically shaking. If I was, Shizuku would have been dead by now- that's how close my sword was to her throat. Before I could answer, the bell rang. I lowered my sword, letting Shizuku go. She then started to walk toward the exit. As she did, she began to speak again.

"You can't keep running away like this. As A Kampfer, you have no choice but to fight, and you can't escape that fact. If you keep running, you'll only get yourself killed. Now, shouldn't you be getting back to class?"

As she left, I kept still for a moment, thinking about those words. Easy for her to say, but she isn't a coward like I am. God, I felt so worthless…..

…...

Miraculously, I changed back to normal right after Shizuku left, so I didn't have to worry about anyone seeing me in my Kampfer form on my way back to class. I hurried back as fast as I could, hoping that a), I wouldn't be late, and b), Akane made it out okay. She was pretty deep in the library during the attack, and I didn't think she'd be able to cope in such a situation… I also thought about Natsuru, really hoped he wasn't hurt either. I soon made it back to class, thankfully I wasn't too late- in fact, class hadn't even started yet, as all everyone could do was talk about the incident. I looked around and saw Akane sitting down at her desk.

"Akane! Thank god you're alright! I was really worried about you!" I said to her. She looked surprisingly calm.

"You too. I-I can't believe something so terrible happened in this school! Did you get out okay?"

"Yeah. Got out at the earliest opportunity." I lied. God knows what she'd think if I told her the truth… "What about Natsuru? Is he alright?"

"He got out okay too. Don't worry too much about him. But still… it was really scary. I honestly didn't we'd make it out of there alive…" I knew that very feeling…

"Alright, class, I know what happened during lunchtime was horrible, but you need to keep your focus on your studies. Can you all sit down please and take out your math books?" The teacher butted in to everyone's conversations, understandably desperate to start class for the afternoon. I sat back down at my seat and got ready for the lesson. This should be easy, as maths is one of my best subjects. However, for the first hour, my concentration was at an all time low. All I could do was think back to Shizuku's words before she left.

"You can't keep running away like this. As A Kampfer, you have no choice but to fight, and you can't escape that fact. If you keep running, you'll only get yourself killed."

This kept coming back to haunt me, no matter how hard I tried to ignore it and focus on my class work. Deep down, I knew she was right. But I can't fight. I just don't have the courage to do so. But I don't want to die, either. Is this really how my life must be, now? Why did I have to be marked like this? In the end, it gave me so much grief, I was starting to get a headache. A really big one. If I was able to concentrate on my work before, there was no way I could do so now. My head was in too much pain. My teacher was quick to notice this, too…

"Are you alright, Goodman? You don't look too well…"

"Uh… No. I have a really bad headache at the moment. It's really throwing me off…"

"Hmmm. Maybe you should go to the infirmary, then. Take some Aspirin, then get some rest. Don't worry about coming back to class this afternoon, either. Just take it easy for now, okay?"

"Okay." I said, picking myself up from my seat. I put all my stuff in my backpack and walked out of the classroom. She was right, I really needed to see the nurse…

…...

By the time I got to the infirmary, my headache had evolved into a full blown migraine. I honestly felt like someone was filming an action movie inside my head. One with endless crashes and explosions- loud ones, too. I was in too much pain to really focus on my surroundings, I just needed the medicine cabinet, which was thankfully near the door. The nurse didn't seem to be around, but I really needed to find some aspirin. I opened the cabinet, and looked inside. Aha! There we go! One box full of the stuff! I knew I needed to get the nurse's permission, but this couldn't wait. I'll just say it was an emergency. Which, fair game, it sort of was. I'll leave a note if necessary. I pushed out two tablets, swallowed them, and drank some water from the tap to wash them down. Now, I guess, I should lie down on one of the beds and let the tablets do their work. Just then, I heard something that sounded like… someone getting up? I'd been so distracted by my headache and getting some aspirin, I didn't notice that I wasn't alone in the room. Fail. Sure enough, someone had been lying down on one of the beds when I'd come in. I must have woken her up…

"Oh! Sorry, did I wake you up?" I asked. Wait a second- I knew this girl! Extremely beautiful, with pretty blues and long, hazel (I think. I was never any good with hair colours…) hair with a cute green ribbon at the back- it was Kaede! So this was where she ended up after the incident in the library. Okay, so I was now speaking to one of the most popular girls in school!

"You're… Tara Goodman, right? That girl from America?" she asked. She actually knew who I was! (Why was I getting so excited about this?)

"Um… yeah! I'm Tara! You must be must be Kaede Sakura, right?" I replied.

"That's right. It's nice to finally meet you, Tara! I've heard so much about you! I've never spoken to anyone from another country before. Are you fitting in okay here? It must be tough." Wow, interested much?

"Well… Um… Yeah, I've had no problems, really. Everyone's pretty cool here, and I've already learned how to speak Japanese, so I have no problems with communicating."

"That's great! You speak Japanese so well, too. I'm sorry, you probably aren't feeling very well if you're in here, and here I am, bothering you…"

"N-no, that's okay. I've got a pretty bad migraine right now, and I came for some Aspirin. Don't worry, you're not bothering me at all!" Hold on, if Kaede is here, maybe I should try and get some info on that other Kampfer- the one that was with that gun toting bitch I met yesterday…

"So, uh… how did you end up in here, anyway?"

"I don't remember that much, myself. I remember being in the library, and I was stuck in there during the attack. Did you hear about that, by the way?"

"Kinda hard not to. I was there too, though I got out before it got too intense." Yet another lie… Kaede continued.

"That's good. But anyway… I was trying to find a way out, and then a bookcase collapsed right in front of me. Once the dust settled, this girl with red hair pointed a gun at me! I was really scared! But just as she pulled the trigger, another girl jumped down and stopped her. I blacked out after that, and then I woke up here."

"Really? Sounds pretty scary. Could you tell me a little about the girl who saved you?" Right, let's see what Kaede knows…

"She was amazing! She had blue hair and blue eyes, and she was really pretty and cool. It wasn't even the first time she saved me, either. The same girl who tried to shoot me back there nearly did the same yesterday morning too, but the blue haired girl saved me then as well. She's so wonderful. I wonder who she is…" Whoa, easy tiger- the way you're sounding, people would think you're a lesbian or something… But at least I know a little bit more about that other girl now. Only a tiny bit, mind, but I'll take what I can get. Actually, now that I think about it, there was something else I wanted to talk to her about…

"She sounds awesome. I'd love to meet her sometime. Oh, by the way, you're into those Entrails Animals, right?"

"Yes! I love them!" Why?

"Um… Why do you ask?"

"I'm asking because I was wondering if you lost a Pierced Sea Turtle recently. Only I found one in the park a few days ago. It had a tear in it's side, if that helps."

"Oh! Yes, I did! So that's where she ended up. I found that tear a few days ago, so I'd intended to take her to someone who could fix her up after school. But when I got to school, I looked in my bag, and she was gone! I was so worried about her, especially since it was raining outside. How bad was she? I'd never forgive myself if anything bad happened to her!" Geez, it's only a plushie. Okay, so it does have a mind of it's own, but does Kaede even know that?

"Well, it was pretty wet and dirty when I found it, but I gave it a good wash, and I repaired it too. It's perfectly fine now."

"What a relief! I'm so glad you found her, Tara. Thank you so much for repairing her!"

"Eh, no problem." I said. "How about I bring it in tomorrow, and you can have it back?"

"Actually… That's okay. You can keep her. It's my way of saying thank you for being so kind to her!" Kaede smiled.

"Ummmm… Thanks… I guess…" Looks like I'm still stuck with that thing. Oh well, at least I found her owner.

"You're welcome! I need to go now. If I see the nurse, I'll let her know you're here, and you that took some Aspirin from the medicine cabinet. See you later!"

"Y-yeah, see you later. Thanks a lot." I said. Kaede smiled again as she walked out of the infirmary. Then I was instantly reminded of why I was here. That damn migraine was still pounding away, though thanks to the Aspirin, it wasn't as bad as it was earlier.. Still, I really should lie down for a little while. I lowered myself onto the bed Kaede got out of and lay there. The next thing I could feel was my eyelids drooping. I was feeling a little sleepy…


	5. Chapter 5: Megumi

(Alright, Chapter 5 is finally done and dusted. This is a very important chapter, since my second original character finally makes a proper appearance. I'm not revealing everything about her from the off, but I will say that she's the one who makes the most significant impact on Tara's life. I hope you like her. Tara also starts to feel a little bit more upbeat at the end of this chapter- she'll finally become stronger in the next chapter!)

Disclaimer- I do not own Kampfer.

Chapter five- Megumi

Before I knew it, I felt a poke on my shoulder.

"Mmmm… What's going on?"

I turned around and saw the nurse. When'd she get here?

"Hi, how are you feeling now?" she asked. "Sakura told me that you had a migraine and was resting here."

"Um, a little better, I guess…" I said. I certainly didn't feel any worse than I did before.

"That's good to hear. But you do know that school is over for the day, don't you?"

What? Since when? Don't tell me I fell asleep! The nurse continued.

"Do you think you'll be able to get home alright? Or do you think you should call your parents to come and get you? Only I need to close this room now…" Hmmm. I'm not in as much pain as I was. I should be okay getting home by myself…

"Yeah, I think I'll be fine on my own. Thanks for looking after me." I wasn't sure how long she'd been here, but I assumed she was around long enough to keep an eye on me. I got off the bed and headed towards the door. The nurse stopped me before I could leave, though.

"Haha, I think you forgot something…" She held up my backpack. Oops, I completely forgot about that! I took it off her and left, thanking her again. Man, I can't believe I slept for so long…

…...

Typically, I missed my bus. Again. So once again, I decided to walk home. No point in waiting ages for a bus when I could get home faster walking, especially now that I'm in danger of being attacked by enemy Kampfers like I was yesterday. It had certainly been a long, long day, what with me being sleepy at the start of the day, the incident in the library, my migraine and talking to Kaede. I just wanted to get home and lie down a little while longer. As I walked down the street, I began to feel uneasy. It was the same feeling I had last night- like someone was watching me. Is my stalker from last night back? I decided to pick up the pace a little- by now, I wanted to get home even quicker than ever, and maybe if I moved fast enough, I might be able to lose her. But it didn't seem to make any difference. About five minutes later, that awful feeling was still there. Guess I'm not going to lose her that easy. Grrrr, fine. If she's looking for an opportunity to attack, I might as well get this over with, and hope that I'm still alive afterwards… I knew there was a set of woods nearby, so I figured if I had to fight, that would be the best place to do so. I briskly walked into the woods, then stopped.

"I know you're here! If you want to fight me, then let's just do it right now!" I called out. Just then, as if to answer my call, my bracelet started glowing again. I knew it. It really was that Zauber type who saved me yesterday! Just what is she up to, exactly? Before I could think any further, a bunch of icicles headed straight at me. Luckily, I transformed at that very point, and blocked them with my sword. As ever, I wasn't taking this too well. I dropped to the floor, whimpering. Despite this, part of me was trying to assess the situation. From the looks of it, those icicles came from pretty high up. My opponent was in the trees! Not that it would do me any good, mind you- I was still too scared to do anything. The fact that my head was still pounding thanks to that migraine wasn't helping, either. More icicles blasted out from the treetops, and from all directions. Whoever this girl was, she was fast… I quickly rolled on the ground to avoid the projectiles, then got back up onto my feet. A further assault followed, which I managed to dodge and cut in half. Dammit, this is just turning into a repeat of yesterday, only this time, there won't be anyone to save me if things get really desperate… Suddenly, I heard a branch breaking, and the sound of feet hitting the floor. Looks like my opponent decided to fight on the ground. But where the hell was she? She was hiding somewhere within the trees, and the fact that I couldn't see her scared me even more. A voice then rang out.

"Hmmm. Your defence is excellent, but that seems to be all you can do. You'll never beat anyone if all you do is protect yourself, you know." It was a soft voice, and a really pretty one, at that. I had wondered if the girl who saved me yesterday was the same one I heard in the library today, but the voice I just heard quickly dashed that. The one in the library had a slightly more masculine tone to her voice, whereas this voice was about as feminine as you could get.

"W-what makes you think I even want to beat anyone? I never even asked to be a Kampfer in the first place!" I shouted.

"Then I'm afraid you'll end up dead rather quickly. You're in desperate need of a backbone!"

Suddenly, I began to lose my footing. Looking down, I realised that the ground was covered in ice. That girl must have frozen it! Losing balance, I finally fell flat on my ass. Looks like it really is over this time…

"You see? Defence is meaningless if you don't take your enemy's abilities into consideration. You're lucky I was only testing you- if you were fighting a proper opponent, you'd be six feet under by now. Can you get up?"

The ice around me disappeared as the girl came out of the shadows, holding out her hand. Without thinking, I grabbed it and she pulled me up. As soon as I was back on my feet, I could finally take a good look at her. The first thing I noticed was her outfit- she was wearing an adorable gothic lolita style dress. In fact, it was so adorable, I just had to-

"Sorry for stalking you since yesterday, and attacking you." She said. "I know you want an explanation, so why don't we-"

"Oh my god, your dress is so CUUUUUTE!" I immediately rushed towards the girl and gave her a big hug. Heh, it's been a long time since I've had a big fangirl moment like that…

"Wow, you're quite an affectionate lady, aren't you?" said the girl. "I take it you like my style, then?" Realising that I was making an idiot of myself, I let her go.

"Uh, sorry about that. I really love cute outfits like yours…" I took another look at her. She was incredibly beautiful, with soft, white skin, gorgeous blue eyes and long hair that went all the way down to her knees. It was a shade of very light purple, and was tied in pigtails. She was a little taller than me- though shorter than Shizuku, and her legs were really long and striking. And she was stacked, too… Her dress was mostly black, with white frills everywhere. It was also low cut, fully exposing her shoulders, and showing off a very small and tasteful amount of cleavage- given the size of her bust, she could have showed off a hell of a lot more. But I liked it better this way. Her skirt was also fairly short, stopping halfway down her thighs, while the hem of it was also covered in white frills. She was also wearing white leggings that went up to her knees, and a pair of frilly garter belts were clearly visible. The sleeves on her dress were slightly higher than her wrists, showing off a red bracelet, just like mine. To top it all off, she wore a cute frilly choker around her neck, and a truly adorable lolita headband in her hair. She really was so cute and stunning- almost like a doll. Seriously, not even Kaede and Shizuku could hold a candle to this girl!

"Don't mention it. I had a feeling you might do that anyway." she said, holding out her hand again. "I really should introduce myself. My name's Megumi Takarashi. Nice to properly meet you, Tara."

Megumi. So that's her name. I took her hand and shook it. Wow, her skin felt even softer than it looked.

"Nice to meet you too. But… How do you know my name, exactly?"

"I've done my research. For instance… You're 17 years old, your parents are still together and you have an older sister who's still living in New York. Excellent grades, decent, but not exceptional athletic abilities, and no serious medical problems. You are a skilled dancer and a good singer, although you can't really play any musical instruments. You love video games, with your favourites being God Of War 2, Persona 4 and Mana Khemia, you also love music and watching anime, while you also go crazy over all things cute. You particularly love cosplay- your favourite costume to date is Mew Ichigo from Tokyo Mew Mew-great choice, by the way, I think she's really cute- while your dream cosplays are Yui from Angel Beats, Et from Mana Khemia 2, and Undine from Tales Of Vesperia." Well, she's pretty well informed, I give her that. But nearly all that info is on my DeviantArt account. She clearly just looked at that…

"You also happen to be an F cup!" She giggled. My face turned extremely red when I heard that. How'd she find that out? Actually, I didn't want to know. Not really wanting to talk about my own bust size, I decided now would be a good time for another of my trademark subject changes.

"Ummm, so you're the one who saved me from that Gewehr type yesterday? Thank you so much."

"No problem. We're allies, right? We're supposed to help each other. Although… I shouldn't have run off afterwards. I'm so sorry about that. I don't know why I did it- I guess I felt you would have been able to handle the rest…"

"Lucky for you, she had trouble getting that ice off her gun, otherwise she'd have finished me off right there. So thanks for the extra support…" I snapped at her. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted like that. I just… don't know what to do anymore…" Megumi walked up to me and put her hand on my shoulder.

"That's okay. I shouldn't have jumped to that conclusion. After all, you're in a situation you're unfamiliar with, and being forced to do something you're uncomfortable with doing. Tell you what, how about we go over to my house and have a nice chat? I don't live too far from here, so it's not much of a trek. I wanted to talk to you anyway."

"I don't know. I'm already pretty late home. My parents are probably worried sick about me."

"No, they're not. They've already got a phone call saying you'd been ill, and you went to a friend's house to rest for a little, since the infirmary at school was closing. They know where you are, don't worry." Jesus, this girl seemed to have a lot of connections… Well… If Mom and Dad knew where I'd be…

"Hmmm. Okay, I'll go with you. We can talk more at your place. Lead the way."

…...

Megumi wasn't kidding when she said she didn't live too far from the woods- it barely took five minutes for us to get there. I'd changed back to normal shortly after we'd left, but Megumi hadn't. I wondered if she was okay with walking around in her Kampfer form- or if she'd already changed back… I guess I'd find out soon enough… Upon arrival at her house, I saw that her house was surprisingly small. Way smaller than mine. I couldn't help but wonder if she lived alone. Megumi reached into her pocket and pulled out a key, which she used to unlock the door.

"Okay, welcome to my home." she said. "It isn't much, but I'm sure you'll find it comfortable."

I stepped inside and removed my shoes. Looking forwards, I saw the sitting room right ahead. It really wasn't that big, but it looked very nice. The walls were covered in a pleasant sunny yellow wallpaper, while there was a single table in the middle, along with a TV in the corner, connected to a Playstation 3. On the floor next to it lay a collection of games and DVDs. In the other corner was a sewing machine. Pretty bare bones, really, but it felt welcoming.

"So, this is my sitting room. What do you think?" asked Megumi.

" I like it. It's really nice." I said.

"Glad to hear it. Like I said, it's not much, but I call it home. Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please." I just realised, I hadn't had anything to eat or drink in ages. Just then, I heard something break in the next room.

"Aw, no, don't tell me she's been trying to get at the cake again…" said Megumi, rushing into the room where the noise came from. I briefly wondered who she may have meant, but then I remembered- if she's a Kampfer, then she's probably got a messenger, too. She could, of course, have a pet as well, but I had a feeling it was a messenger causing the ruckus in the next room.

"How many times do I have to tell you, you're just a plushie! You can't eat anything, no matter how hard you try!" Megumi said, sighing. Yup, definitely a messenger.

"Says who? I can eat what ever I like, and you can't stop me!" came a somewhat aggressive voice which sounded quite familiar. Though I couldn't quite put my finger on it…

"Right. In the same way you can drink what ever you like? It took me ages to get that tea stain out of my carpet! Come on, let's get you out of here…" Megumi came out carrying a polar bear plushie by the scruff of it's neck. Much like Pierced Sea Turtle, it had it's guts hanging out, and bits of it were covered in blue blotches, almost like frostbite. Another one of those ghastly Entrails Animals…

"Sorry about that, Tara. This is my messenger, Frozen Polar Bear. You'll have to excuse her, she's quite a handful."

"Ahh, so you're that red Kampfer who nearly got blown to bits yesterday!" Frozen Polar Bear said to me. "Geez, how hopeless are you?" Aha, now I recognised her voice!

"She kind of sounds like Rie Kugimiya, don't you think?" I asked Megumi, ignoring Frozen Polar Bear's brash comment.

"She does, doesn't she? I think it kind of suits her." Megumi replied, dropping the plushie. "Anyway, let me get some tea. Do you want some cake as well?"

"Yes please! I'm starving…" I said.

"Okay. Just give me a few minutes." Megumi smiled as she walked back into the next room. Shortly afterward, Frozen Polar Bear picked herself up and looked at me. I couldn't help but laugh a little at the irony of a polar bear being frozen.

"Wonder why the Moderators picked such a weedy little girl like you to become a Kampfer? They're really losing their touch…" she said.

"I dunno. Maybe they thought it'd be funny or something. Or maybe they chose me so they could bet on how long I'd last. I'd like to know too."

"Whatever. I still say they're losing their touch." This thing's pretty mouthy, if you ask me. At that point, Megumi came in holding a tray.

"Here we go. Hope you like it." she said, placing the tray down on the table. On it was an ordinary looking teapot, with some cups, a few plates, a cup of sugar and a small jug of milk. In the middle of the tray was a chocolate cake, which looked delicious! Kneeling down at the table, Megumi poured some tea into my cup and put some milk in, before doing the same with her cup.

"Help yourself to some sugar, if you want some." she said. I put a couple of sugars into my tea and gave it a stir. By now, Frozen Polar Bear had climbed up the TV and made her perch there, staring at us. As I took a few sips of my tea, I decided to start asking questions.

"Any idea why those things are so popular in the first place?" OK, so not the most relevant question, but I was nonetheless wondering about why people seem to love those revolting plushies.

"To be honest with you, not a clue. I find them quite repulsive, myself. Perhaps they're supposed to be some kind of tongue-in-cheek thing, but I really don't like them. But still, this one was given to me as a gift, so I felt compelled to keep it. Of course, the fact that it's also my messenger is the main reason I have it…" Frozen Polar Bear looked quite mad at being referred to as "it", but she decided to keep quiet. To be fair, "it" is a damn good way of describing that thing.

"It was a gift? Who gave it to you?" I asked, though I had a feeling I already knew…

"Kaede Sakura. You should already know her, since she goes to your school. So did I, actually, though I finished last year."

"So it was a farewell gift, or something?"

"That's right. Kaede was just finishing her first year when I left, and she gave it to me on my last day. I got quite a lot of gifts that day, as it happens. I was a very popular girl when I was there, god only knows why." Oh, I could think of a few reasons… Megumi continued as I munched on the cake.

"Although I hated the plushie, I figured I should keep it. After all, it's the thought that counts, right? Well, I'm sure you can guess the rest. Before I knew it, I had one of those bracelets on my wrist, and I've been fighting as a Kampfer ever since. So where did you get your messenger, if I may ask?"

"Kaede gave me one too. Well, sort of. She apparently found a rip in her Pierced sea Turtle, and wanted to get it fixed after school. But she lost it in the park, where I found it. I cleaned and repaired it, hoping to find it's owner. I found out today that it was Kaede who owned it, but she let me keep it, to thank me for fixing it up. Of course, I'd already become a Kampfer by then, so I was probably stuck with it either way."

"Hmmm. That does strike me as odd. Sakura, as you know, is a huge fan of those plushies. She gave one to me, and I became a Kampfer. You found one, which Sakura let you keep, and now you're a Kampfer, too. We're not the only ones, either. Several people have received one of those plushies from Sakura, and as far as I'm aware, almost all of them have become Kampfers as well. This can't be a mere coincidence."

"So, you're saying Kaede is in on all of this?"

"I am a little suspicious, but I won't jump to conclusions. She may be completely unaware of what's been going on. Then again, she may well be the mastermind behind the whole thing. Maybe she's being forced into this, or she could be a Moderator herself. I don't know, and I don't want to go pointing fingers when we don't know the whole story." This got me thinking. Kaede certainly didn't seem to be the kind of person who'd do anything so terrible, at least, not willingly. Yet, Megumi was right- finding that plushie, becoming a Kampfer, the fact that it's happened to several other people- this was no coincidence. Could Kaede really be trusted? Before I could think about this any further, Megumi fired another question my way.

"Has your upbringing been particularly sheltered? Only I'm trying to figure out why you have so little confidence in yourself… I don't mean any offence, of course."

"None taken. No, I haven't really lived a sheltered life. My parents have always said I should live life the way I choose to, and I did go out with my friends on a regular basis back home. It's just that I've always had this dreadful fear of getting hurt, or dying. Back home, I never took up stuff like Karate, or Judo, or anything that involves combat, simply because I was so afraid of getting hurt. I always travelled with my friends when I went out, since they could take care of themselves, and I could always hide behind them if anyone tried to attack us. If I ever saw someone else being attacked on the street, all I can do is walk away and pay no attention. I know, I'm such a coward…" I could feel some tears welling up inside my eyes. Megumi saw this and hugged me in an affectionate way.

"That's okay. Pain is a fear that any normal person has. Even the most fearless people out there have been afraid of that at some point or another. Some people do find it harder to deal with than others. That's only natural. "

"I know, but most people also aren't in my position. I'm being attacked on a regular basis, I'm too scared to fight back, there's no one I can hide behind, no one I can really talk to about it, plus I've had to lie to my parents and friends constantly… I-I just…" I broke down crying. Megumi, who was still holding onto me, hugged me tighter and gave me a peck on the cheek.

"There, there, it's all right. I know this is really hard on you. While I didn't feel quite as upset about it as you are right now, I was nonetheless pretty scared myself when I first became a Kampfer. But it wasn't long before I met someone who was willing to help. She taught me nearly everything there was to know about fighting, and she really helped my confidence. She couldn't teach me absolutely everything, as she was a Schwert type, and I'm a Zauber, but that girl helped me overcome any fears I once had. We've been good friends ever since. Maybe I can do the same with you. I know you're scared, but I do feel as though you have a lot of untapped potential inside of you. I could feel that when I fought you earlier this evening."

My tears started to dry up a little.

"Did you feel that yesterday too? Is that why you were stalking me back there?"

"You could say that. I was nearby when I sensed your battle yesterday, and I decided to check it out. I got there just in time to see you fighting that blue Kampfer. It was actually quite upsetting to watch- you were so scared, and I saw no confidence in you. I felt so sorry for you. That's why I saved you. Afterwards, I wanted to know more about you- after all, since we're on the same side, I figured the more I knew about you, the better I could help. So I followed you home to keep an eye on you, and to see if I could find out anything about you. Of course, I didn't count on you sensing me and transforming, so I was taken by surprise a little, there. I'm so sorry for doing that. You were already on edge after what happened, and you really didn't need me making things worse for you…"

"It's okay, you're forgiven. But why did you go through all that trouble just to get some info on me? You could have just come up to me and asked- as long as you showed me your bracelet, I would have understood."

"Because I felt you'd be too shaken after your fight to really talk. From the way you were crying last night, I'd say I was right, too. I just felt it'd be easier for me to observe you from a distance, rather than put you through even more trauma by talking to you about it. I really blew that one, huh? "

"Considering I was going through enough trauma as it is, yes, you did. But you still haven't answered my question about if you felt this untapped power when you first saw me…"

"You're right. Where are my manners? Yes, I did feel it when I watched you fight yesterday. Looking at the way you defended yourself, you showed how well you controlled your weapon, especially considering how big and heavy it was. You showed exactly the same control earlier this evening, but as I said earlier, simply defending yourself won't get you anywhere. If you can put all of that control into attacking, then you could become a powerful fighter. You just need to build up your confidence, and I think I can help you do that."

"How, exactly?"

"For starters, I can train you. I know we have different abilities, but we can easily work around that. The main problem, as I said before, is your confidence. When my friend was helping me on my feet, she said something to me that I'll always keep close to my heart. She told me that the best way to overcome your fear is by finding a reason to fight. We've been thrust into this war without any explanation why we're fighting, so you need to find your own reason for doing so. I think you'll find all Kampfers have their own reason for fighting. Some want to protect those closest to them, while some just get a kick from battle. You just need to find your own reason. When you do that, I think you'll become a lot more confident in your abilities."

"So, what's your reason for fighting, then?"

"That's something I'll save for later. For now, let's just say it's because I want to help you. You're way too sexy to meet an early end in this whole thing, you know!" Megumi winked and pressed her index finger on her lips as she said that. I figured she was just being funny. Still… A reason for fighting… can I really find one? Oh well, in the meantime, the least I can do is take Megumi up on her offer to train me.

"Well… Okay, sure! Maybe I'll be able to fend for myself a little better if I train."

"Good. How about we meet up at the park tomorrow after you're done with school? Not many people go there, so we should be okay to train there."

"Sounds great!" I glanced at the clock on Megumi's TV. It had just gone past seven o'clock.

"I think I should get going now. Thanks for the tea and the cake, they were really nice!" I said, standing up.

"Think nothing of it. Do you mind if I walk you home? You might still come under attack if you go out on your own, so at least this way, you have some back up…"

"Thanks. I'd love that! It'd probably be for the best." Megumi stood up too, taking a quick glance at Frozen Polar Bear. Strangely, she hadn't said a word during our conversation…

"Looks like she's asleep." said Megumi. "Such a lazy creature… Oh well. Shall we go, then?"

"Sure." I smiled. Finally, for the first time since I became a Kampfer, my head was clear. It was nothing to do with the fact that my headache was clearing away nicely- it was more to do with the fact that I finally found an ally in this whole thing. Someone I could talk to about it when it's getting me down. Someone who knows what I'm going through, and genuinely wants to help. Of course, there was still so much I didn't know about Megumi- Does she live here alone? Does she have a job? Who was this friend of hers? What does she look like in her Kampfer form- she clearly changed back before she showed herself back in the woods. And was she really joking when she called me sexy? I guessed I'd find out soon enough.


	6. Chapter 6: From Lamb To Lion

**Whew! It took ages to write up this chapter, and I rewrote some parts that I wasn't happy with, but it's now finished! This chapter is quite a monster, and for good reason- there's a **_**lot**_** happening- A good deal of talking, some fighting, even a tiny bit of ecchi as well. We discover a little bit more about Megumi, while Tara finally gets that backbone she's been in desperate need of. I've also developed the relationship between Tara and her parents as well. The thought of Tara's mum being a whiz at Street Fighter IV was a bit daft, but hey, I wanted there to be some degree of silliness in this fanfic, as it's quite serious otherwise.**

**Another thing I should say- both this and chapter 5 were originally going to be one whole chapter, but the length of chapter 5 made me think I'd be better off splitting them into two. Looking at it now, I'm glad I did. **

**But anyway, please read and review!**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Kampfer.**

Chapter six- From Lamb To Lion

It took about ten minutes for us to get home from Megumi's house, and thankfully, we weren't attacked on the way there. On the way, Megumi asked me about what my life was like back in New York. I told her about all my friends, and what my school was like, plus I couldn't resist telling her about the zoo at Central Park, which has always been my favourite place. We were so busy talking, we almost missed my front door! Once we got there, Megumi stopped and turned around.

"Well, I'm sure you can take it from here." She said, turning her head towards me. "You sure you're okay for tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'm good. I still don't know if I can really cut it in all of this, though…"

"Don't worry. Like I said, once you find your own reason for fighting, you'll become much stronger. For now though, we can still work on your moves a little, and hope that'll give you a little of the confidence you're in desperate need of at the moment. Well, I'll be off, then. I'll see you in the middle of the big field at the park tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure. See you then! And thanks for taking the time out to help me!"

"Not a problem. I just don't like seeing you suffer as you are right now. See you tomorrow!"

With that, Megumi smiled and walked away. I watched until she was out of sight, and walked through my front door.

"Hi, I'm back!" I shouted. Mom heard me and came out to greet me.

"Evening. Are you feeling better now? Only your friend Shizuku called your dad and told him that you'd had a bad headache. She told us you had to leave the infirmary early, so you went to another friend's house to rest a little more…" Shizuku was the one who called them? That was a surprise. Student council president or not, she didn't seem to be the kind of person who'd do something like that for me.

"I'm feeling a lot better, thanks. I took some Aspirin, and that took care of most of my pain. My friend took good care of me too, and she even walked me home."

"That's good." Mom gave a huge sigh of relief. "So, which friend did you stay with? Akane?"

"No. A more recent friend I made. Her name's Megumi. She left school last year. She's into Gothic Lolita outfits, and she's really pretty. She's really kind, too. I'll introduce you both to her sometime- I think you'd like her."

"Oh, you mean Megumi Takarashi?" I nearly did a double take. How could Mom know about her?

"Yeah, that's her! How'd you know?"

"Well, I heard from one of our neighbours about a beautiful girl who doesn't live too far from here, one who wears a Gothic Lolita dress. From what I heard, she makes her own dresses, and also makes them for other people who want them." That makes sense, I suppose. That sewing machine I saw in her living room really wasn't for show, then. Mom continued.

"I also heard she has a thing for animals, she loves them. Plus, she's been known to help people out with errands, if they needed it. Apparently, she was very popular at school, but she's never had a boyfriend. If she really is that pretty, I should imagine a lot of boys asked her out… But anyway, I was told that girl's name was Megumi, and I even said that you two would get along like a house on fire if you ever met! Looks like I was right."

So my new friend is something of a goody-two-shoes. Well, that's better than someone who causes trouble, in any case. And at least I know a little more about her now.

"Anyway, are you hungry? Dinner's almost ready, so you haven't missed it." Mom asked.

"Great! I had some cake at Megumi's place, but it didn't really fill me up that much. I still have room."

"Well then, I think you'd better sit yourself down. It'll be ready in a few minutes." Mom gave me a kiss and went over to the oven. I went to the sitting room to say hi to Dad and drop my backpack, and then I sat down at the table. It was my personal favourite for dinner tonight- Hamburgers with fries. Yummy! Don't get me wrong, traditional Japanese food is good and all, but sometimes there's nothing like a good old fashioned western meal! I put some ketchup on my burger, with some more on the side for my fries, and started eating.

"So, migraine aside, how was your day today?" asked Dad.

"Not too bad, I guess. Couldn't really concentrate on class much, though." I replied.

"Something on your mind, then?"

"No, I was just really tired. I couldn't sleep last night, for some reason."

"That's probably why you had a headache, then. Maybe you should go to bed early today..."

"Maybe…" As we continued eating I started to think. If I need to find a reason to fight, what should I fight for? Looking at my parents, I couldn't help but think about what happened to Kaede in the library. Could my parents end up caught in the crossfire of this war like she was, or any of my friends? Maybe fighting to protect them would be a good idea. As I thought about this, Mom brought me back to reality.

"By the way, have you done anything about that plushie you found?" she said.

"Now that you mention it, I did find it's owner today. It belonged to Kaede Sakura- you know, that really popular girl I told you about before. She's really obsessed with those things. I asked her about the one I found, and she said it was hers."

"That's good. So are you giving it back to her tomorrow?" said Dad.

"Actually, she said I could keep it. But she seemed grateful that I fixed it up, so that's something."

"That was nice of her. Just make sure to take good care of it, okay?" said Mom. Don't think I can guarantee that, somehow…

Following dinner, I helped Dad wash up, and then we all settled down in front of the TV. Normally, I'd spend the night in my room, but I'd already done the homework I needed for tomorrow, and I really didn't want to talk to Pierced Sea Turtle- not after the day I just had. What followed was one of those wonderful evenings that I'll never forget. We started by watching a period drama set in Edo times. Mom spent most of the time pointing out the historical inaccuracies in the story, though I just gave my usual argument- if I want a history lesson, I'll go to school. If I want to be entertained, I'll watch TV. We had more fun debating it all than we did watching the show! Afterwards, Dad and I decided to have a few games of Street Fighter IV. We're both really good at it, so it was always fun playing against each other. In the end, despite his best efforts, I just about managed to win more rounds than he did, so that made me pretty happy. Mom begged for a go too, but we banned her from playing against us a long time ago- every time either of us play against her, she always wipes the floor with us. Dad and I sometimes joke that Mom could easily rank among the best players in the world if she played online, though whether or not that's something we should be joking about is open to debate. Knowing her, she probably really could do that… By the time we stopped playing, it was way past bedtime. So much for going to bed early. But still, I had a great evening, and it was enough to take my mind what happened earlier today. Kissing Mom and Dad goodnight, I went to bed. As I entered my room, I noticed that Pierced Sea Turtle was fast asleep. Never really thought that plushies needed some shuteye, but hey, I wasn't complaining. One quick change later, and I was in bed too. And this time around, I had no problem falling asleep…

…...

As expected, everyone was still talking about the incident at the library the following day. There said to be an investigation into the matter, but I was willing to bet Shizuku would have used her position as Student Council President to cover the whole thing up. Akane was sent to the student council room to be questioned on the matter, since she and Natsuru were in the area at the time of the attack- I really hoped they weren't going to be used as scapegoats… Alongside all that, there was also a rumour going around about a mysterious blue haired girl being sighted at the school. I wondered if that was the same girl who Kaede mentioned. I wasn't really concerned about that though- my thoughts were more on my training with Megumi in the evening, not to mention finding a reason to fight.

Once school was done, I quickly made sure I had everything in my backpack, then sped out to the bus stop. For the first time in three days, I actually caught the bus, but this time I wouldn't be riding it all the way home. I'd told my parents that I'd be going over to see Megumi again, so they didn't worry about me. Of course, it was more or less the truth that I'd be seeing her again anyway... Pretty soon, the bus stopped near the park, so I got off and made my way there. Once I was actually in the park, I made my way towards the big field, like Megumi said. There wasn't anyone around when I got there- Megumi was nowhere to be seen. I waited, hoping that she wouldn't be too long, until nearly ten minutes later, when I saw a figure walking towards me, carrying a large carrier bag. It was her! Megumi stopped right next to me and put the bag down.

"Hi! Have you been waiting long?" She asked.

"Only about ten minutes."

"Not too long then. Sorry I took a little longer than I expected, but I just thought I'd get a few refreshments before we started. But anyway, we should get straight into it. You ready?"

"I suppose so."

"Good. Then let's get started!" There was a brief flash, and the next thing I knew, I was in my Kampfer form. Wait, I don't remember seeing my bracelet glow that time… I looked straight ahead at Megumi, and she too had changed. Her outfit was more or less the same as it normally was, but her eyes were now a deep red colour, and most of her hair had changed to a beautiful shade of light blue, though the tips of her pigtails had changed to a cute candy pink colour. If anything, she was even more beautiful in her Kampfer form than she was in her normal state- no mean feat, I must say!

"Okay, I don't think we need to work on your defence right now, so let's start with a few offensive attacks." I wondered how she could teach me that when she uses a different weapon to me, but I soon found out. A strange blue aura began emitting from Megumi's right hand, building up a lot of ice. I soon realised that she was forming the ice into something! The aura faded, and I saw a sword in Megumi's hand. A sword made out of ice! Now _that_ was impressive!

"W-whoa, how'd you do that?" I asked.

"That's the great thing about ice." Megumi replied. "It can be used in many different ways- firing icicles, freezing things, creating objects, it's a very versatile element. Far more so than, say, fire or lightning. It's just a matter of knowing how to use it. Now, strike at me. Give it all you've got!"

I hesitated for a moment. I was still scared to attack, and I also wondered about that sword Megumi made. It was all well and good being able to create things like that, but how durable would it be? Wouldn't it shatter if I struck it hard enough? Finally though, I finally mustered up the courage to attack. I sprinted towards her and swung my sword. A split second before it hit her, she blocked it with her own sword. I swung my sword several more times in rapid succession, but she blocked all those, too. Amazingly, her icy sword showed no sign of even cracking, let alone breaking. She definitely knew what she was doing…

"To be honest, that was really shoddy." she said. "All you're doing is swinging that thing as wildly as possible, without putting any thought in your actions. You must think before you act, otherwise your enemies will easily get the best of you. Let me demonstrate."

With that, Megumi swung her sword, and in one clean swipe, knocked me over. As I got up again, she shook her head.

"You're leaving yourself too wide open. In your hurry to attack, you failed to take your own defence into account. What you need to do is anticipate what your opponent is going to do, then look for an opening. Simply attacking like wildfire won't get you anywhere." Megumi had a very stern tone to her voice as she spoke, one which I was surprised to hear from her. Then again, I'd only known her for a day. There's still so much I didn't know about her…

"Come on," she continued. "Let's try again. This time, I'll attack. Try and anticipate what I do, and counter."

We continued training for a good hour. I tried my best, and I did manage to improve a little, but not nearly enough to really make much of an impact. I just couldn't find the confidence to fight properly. There was something else keeping me from fighting effectively as well, something I found somewhat distracting…

"Why don't we take a break? You've worked up enough of a sweat for now." said Megumi, making her sword disappear.

"Y-yeah, okay. Sounds good to me." I said. Megumi picked up her bag, and we walked to a nearby bench and sat down. I was really beat after all that training, and I knew there'd be more shortly. But the way things were going, I was beginning to wonder if it would all be for naught… Reaching into her bag, Megumi pulled out a can of Diet Coke and handed it to me.

"Here. Your favourite, right?" she said, smiling. I smiled back, and opened the can. Megumi herself opened another can, and started sipping it. The drink was pretty warm, due to the fact that it had been in a hot carrier bag for an hour or so, but nonetheless, I felt refreshed pouring it down my throat. Maybe I was drinking a little _too_ quickly…

"Wow, you're really thirsty, aren't you?" said Megumi. "Slow down a little. You'll probably make yourself feel hotter if you drink that fast…"

"Heh, I've never had any problems in the past. Besides, I get more satisfaction drinking quickly for some reason. I don't know why, I just do."

"Whatever floats your boat, honey." she laughed. But then she turned a little more serious as she got back to the subject of training.

"I hope you don't take this too harshly, but I don't think you've been doing too well this afternoon. You're not being quite as reckless as you were at the start, but you don't seem to have your heart in it. I know this is hard for you, I understand that. But if you fight like that against a proper enemy, you simply won't last very long."

"I do realise that," I replied. "But I just can't seem to overcome my fear. If I'm honest, though, and this may sound like an excuse, but you were pretty badly distracting me back there too. That didn't help."

"Oh? How was I distracting you?"

I started to blush slightly as I replied back to her.

"W-well… The way you were… bouncing around. I mean, don't you wear a bra or anything?" Megumi got my drift, and giggled.

"Nope. The straps don't go too well with my dress, and I can never seem to find a strapless bra my size." she said, edging her way towards me while teasingly pushing up her huge breasts. "But I like it better this way. It makes me even easier on the eyes… Don't you agree?" She said that last bit in a rather seductive way. Feeling somewhat flustered, I decided to talk about something else.

"U-um, so, I heard you made that dress yourself…"

"Huh? Oh, yes, that's right." she replied, edging away from me a little. If I hadn't know any better, I'd of said she had a slight look of disappointment on her face… "Making Lolita dresses is my hobby. I've always adored the style, and my Mom worked as a tailor, so she taught me how to make them. Everything I know was thanks to her. If she were still alive today, I'm sure you'd have really liked her." her voice began to take a more melancholy tone.

"I'm sure I would have done. So… she's dead? What about your Dad?"

"He died too. It was four years ago. I was in school when it happened, and I'll never forget when I was given the news…"

"So, what happened? Did they die in a car crash, or something?"

"No. Worse than that. They-"

"N-NO! HEEEEEEELP!"

Megumi's words were suddenly interrupted by a shout coming from the distance. We both stood up and looked ahead, and saw a young boy- no older than fourteen or so- being chased by a group of slightly older looking kids. The poor boy was desperately trying to escape them, but he was clearly tiring out. Ultimately, he slowed right down, and the bigger kids caught up with him. One of them grabbed him from behind and dragged him to the biggest of them. I realised what was going on- and it was starting to piss me off.

"Thought you could run away from us, you little dick?" said the biggest kid- who I guessed was their leader.

"L-let me go!" said the unfortunate boy.

"Sure we will. Once we beat the shit out of you!" said the leader, cracking his knuckles. He then landed a few blows on the boy's face, before walking away to let some of his friends get a few digs in.

"I've seen that boy before." said Megumi. "He's really shy and quiet- an easy target for bullies. Those guys there- they're the ones who pick on him the most. It's disgusting, it really is." She was damn right it was disgusting. If it was one thing I despised more than anything, it was bullying. Thankfully, it never happened to me, but I'd seen the effects of it first hand, and the misery it causes. It always made me so angry, especially since I knew I was too scared to step in and put a stop to it. I watched as the boy took several blows to the stomach while screaming loudly, while Megumi looked on with a sad look on her face. I'd seen enough.

I don't know how it happened. I never will. I still can't believe it took something so simple- something I'd seen time and time again- to trigger it. Perhaps it was the vast amount of anger that was building up inside me. Whatever it was, something snapped inside me. Maybe a better word would be "awoke". A need to step in and do something about the awful scene I was watching. I knew I had the power to do so- but now I felt I also had the courage as well. I clenched my fists and started to walk towards the group. Megumi called out as I did so.

"Tara- Are you really going to-"

"Wish me luck." I said, not looking at her. I continued my on way until I was close enough to the bullies.

"Heh, heh, this is so fun!" said one of the bastards who were beating up the boy. I stopped walking, folded my arms and called out.

"You shitheads think it's fun? Picking on some helpless kid who can't even fight back if he wanted to? Did he do anything to piss you off or something?"

The thugs all turned around to face me. There were five of them, and they were all taller than the boy they were beating up. The leader, with wiry black hair, while wearing scruffy looking jeans and a green T-shirt, walked towards me, bemused at the platinum haired schoolgirl who was standing up to them. He, along with the other bullies, looked about a year younger than me.

"Nah, we just think he's a prick, that's all." he said. "Why'd you even care anyway? It's none of your fucking business."

"Oh, it's my business, all right." I said, with the kind of confidence I never knew I had. "You should let him go. If he's done nothing to you, you have no reason to pick on him."

The leader just cackled in an unpleasant way, while his cronies also laughed.

"You're funny, babe. You honestly think we'd stop beating him up just because you asked us to? You really don't know who you're talking to, do you?" He stopped to take a good look at me.

"Although… Damn, you're one smokin' hottie! Why don't you go out with me, and we'll forget this whole thing ever happened." I was understandably repulsed by that remark.

"Sorry, but I prefer my dates to be a lot more pleasant than the likes of you. Seriously, let the boy go. NOW! Do that, _then_ we'll forget this whole thing ever happened." Right now, any thoughts I may have had that I was crazy to do this had gone out the window. I just wanted to stop this. By any means necessary.

"You're starting to piss me off, babe. Tell you what. I'm going to count to three. If you don't get lost by then, I'm gonna bust your pretty face so badly, no one'll ever want to date you again! One…"

I said nothing. I did nothing. I just stood there, arms still folded.

"Two…"

I wasn't budging. For the first time in my whole life, I wasn't afraid.

"Three! You're toast!"

The bully threw a fast punch at me. He was probably so smug at the time. He really did think he was going to give me the beating of a lifetime. He seriously thought that because I didn't look like much, I'd be as much of a pushover as the boy he and his gang were beating up. He was pretty shocked, then, to find I caught his fist just as it was about to make contact with my face, without any effort whatsoever. I kept hold of it, and spoke.

"You think you're so tough, don't you? You go around, beating the shit out of anyone who's weaker than you, and you think you're unbeatable. You intimidate those who can't fight back, and you push your weight around, because you think you can get away with it, as everyone's scared of you. Well, I'm not. And you're about to find out what happens when you pick on someone who CAN fight back!"

With that, I started squeezing hard his fist, crushing it. He gave out a scream, but I wasn't done yet. I then threw his fist up, then punched him hard in the stomach. Since I was still in my Kampfer form, I'd hit him with a terrifying amount of force. He dropped to the floor in agony, clutching the area where I'd just hit him. Upon seeing this, two of the other bullies turned away and ran off. As I thought, nothing but a bunch of cowards.

"You- you little bitch!" Shouted one of the others, enraged at what just happened. He moved towards me and tried to land a punch himself, which I dodged just by moving my head. He threw several more, but I dodged those too. Pathetic. He threw one more, but this time, I ducked it, rather than moving my head to avoid it. Whilst still on the floor, I launched an upward kick aimed at the bully's nuts, and he collapsed- he wasn't going to be getting up from that anytime soon! By this point, the boy who the bullies were beating up had now escaped, and had run over to Megumi. At least he'd be okay now… Before I could think any further, I felt someone grab me from behind- damn, I let my guard down. The bully who grabbed me kept me in place while the head bully, who had recovered slightly from the punch I gave him earlier, walked towards me.

"Damn, I underestimated you." he said. "But there ain't much you can do now. When I'm finished with you, you're gonna be spending the rest of your life on life support…" I could only smirk at his words.

"Really… Holding me down like this is pretty cowardly, don't you think? Too bad it won't do you any good." Before he could say anything back, I quickly leaped up- bearing in mind I was still being held in place by the other bully- and booted him square in the mouth, knocking out several of his teeth in the process. As my feet touched the ground, I then managed to flip the other bully over my shoulders, throwing him on the ground. I was freed from my captor, but the head bully was still on his feet- though he had clearly seen better days. Damn, he was being persistent- and he was even angrier than ever! Clenching his only good fist, he threw yet another punch at me, but I dodged to the side and grabbed his arm.

"Is that all you can do? Punching? No wonder you're so fucking predictable." I said, before bringing my arm down onto his in a chopping motion. His arm broke with a satisfying _Snap!, _and he cried out in pain. I finished the job by elbowing him hard in the nose. He fell to the ground, his face covered in blood. I stood calmly before him, almost pitying him.

"I'll give you a choice." I said. "You can either go away right now, and promise never to pick on that boy- or anyone else for that matter- ever again. Or, you can continue trying to hit me- just bear in mind that if you do, I will protect myself- and I may end up breaking a lot more than just your arm…"

The bully, now whimpering like the coward he was, got up and slowly walked away- he certainly couldn't go any faster after what I did to him. As he left, I suddenly began to realise what I just did- I'd just beaten up a whole group of bullies- calmly, without any effort or any sign of panic. I couldn't believe it. And I was ecstatic! Had I really done it? Had I finally found the courage to fight? Still wondering about all this, I walked back to Megumi and the boy, both of whom were amazed at what they just watched.

"Wow, you were really brutal back there!" said Megumi. "And you did it without your sword, too!

"Yeah, guess I don't know my own strength yet." I replied. "But hey, those retards won't be picking on anyone else anytime soon, so it's all good." I then turned towards the boy.

"Hey, you okay now?"

"Y-yes. Thank you so much for saving me. If you hadn't… I don't know what they might have done…"

"Don't mention it. I can't stand people like that. But I doubt they'll be bothering you again. Are you okay getting home? Or would you like someone to come pick you up?"

"I-I think someone else might try to beat me up if I go alone, but I can't call anyone to pick me up, since my cell phone ran out of battery…"

"Don't worry," said Megumi. "You can call your parents with my cell phone if you want. We don't want you to get hurt again now, do we?" She pulled out her cell phone and gave it to the boy.

"T-thank you!" the boy said, turning the phone on and dialling a number. He spoke into it for a little while, before handing it back to Megumi.

"Thanks, my Mom said she'd come get me. Could you wait by the park entrance with me please? I'd feel safer that way…"

"Of course we will." I said. Megumi and I packed up our things and walked the boy to the entrance. About fifteen minutes later, a red Toyota pulled up next to us, and out came a woman who looked like she was in her mid-forties.

"Takeshi! Thank God you're alright- I was so worried when you told me what happened!" she said.

"Thanks, Mom. It would have been a lot worse if this girl hadn't shown up!" said the boy, pointing to me. I just smiled at her- it's all I needed to do, really.

"Thank you." said the mother. "Takeshi's always been bullied, ever since he started school. Every year they just seem to become nastier and nastier to him…"

"Trust me, they'll all think twice now about picking on people in the future. Especially their leader." I said.

"Glad to hear it. I think it was about time someone taught those thugs a lesson. Anyway, shall we go, Takeshi?" Takeshi just nodded, and the two got in the car. Takeshi's Mom said "Thank you" one more time, and they drove off, with Takeshi waving at us through the car window.

"Well, I think we should call it quits for now. It's far too late to do anymore training." said Megumi.

"Yeah." I said. "Shall we continue tomorrow? I don't know how, but ever since that fight, I've felt… I don't know, different. Like I feel I can actually fight properly now, without any fear…"

"Easy there, hun. You were only fighting a bunch of bullies back there. Enemy Kampfers are a different matter entirely- they're not quite so easy to beat…"

"I know, but when I fought those bastards, it felt like something woke up inside me. Something like an instinct to fight. I can't explain it exactly, but… I feel like I have more confidence now. I just want to train now, so I can see what I'm really capable of. I still want to find my own reason for fighting, but right now, I think I have enough confidence to fight- I'm not going to run away anymore. I'll face my enemies head on!"

Megumi giggled at my words.

"Looks like today wasn't a complete waste of time, after all. Okay, let's go some more rounds tomorrow. Let's see what you can really do!"

"Yeah- I'll do my best!"

We both transformed back to our normal forms and went our separate ways. As I made my way home, I really felt like a changed person. I was still a little nervous, don't get me wrong about that. As Megumi said, enemy Kampfers would be somewhat tougher than your average bully. However, I knew I could take them on now. I said I would stop trying to run away, and I swore I would stand by that. The future may well have been uncertain, but what ever happened_, _I was ready to face it_._


	7. Chapter 7: Popularity? Overrated

**Chapter 7 is finally complete and uploaded, and it's… well… I'm not very happy with how it turned out. I feel that there were quite a few scenes that badly needed to be expanded on, but I just couldn't think how. As a result, I don't think it flows very well, and a lot of it feels forced. It's not the most interesting chapter, either. It's pretty much all talking, and Tara's opinions of the events around her. Needless to say, I will definitely have to redo this chapter once I find the time.**

**In any case, this chapter is based around the events of episode 3 of the anime, and as such, sees the introduction of Natsuru's female form. I actually kind of enjoyed writing up the dialogue from the anime, then throwing Tara into some of the episode's events and seeing how she would react. At least she's a lot more confident now… We also get to meet Tara's sister, albeit in a flashback, which I hope adds a little more character development. The end of this chapter, in particular, leaves Tara with a big decision to make, but it's not one she makes until chapter 9, so you'll have to wait a little for that.**

**As ever, please read and review. I know this chapter's pretty weak, but things will really pick up in the next one, trust me!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kampfer.**

Chapter seven- Popularity? Overrated

I remembered back to the day I left for Japan, back when I was still a normal, average girl. Our flight was due to leave at around midday, and we still had an hour or two left to kill before then. Sitting around at JFK airport wasn't really the most fun way of spending that time, so I decided to wander around a little. I bought some Doritos, a Milky Way bar and a can of Sprite in a nearby bar, and spent a little time there. However, once I got through my little snack, I was getting bored again. The TV in the bar wasn't showing anything particularly interesting either, so I left, looking for something else to do. I eventually decided to have a play on one of the Pac Man and Galaga machines that seemed to be everywhere in the airport for some reason. I had a go on Pac Man (Or was it Ms. Pac Man? I honestly can't remember…), and managed to complete a few levels. I ultimately ended up losing my last life on the third screen, no thanks to Blinky cornering me at the last moment. Oh well, at least I did end up on the high score table. Go, me! I entered my initials and walked away from the machine, not noticing the girl that was standing next to me.

"That's so typical of you." she said. "You spend so much time in that little world of yours that you didn't even notice I was standing right next to you…"

Hang on, I knew that voice! I turned around to see my older sister Cassandra standing there!

"Cassie! What are you doing here?"

"Come on, you didn't seriously expect me not to see you off, did you? Or say goodbye, for that matter?"

Cassie smiled at me, in her usual sweet way. She looked no different than she usually did- almost exactly like me, but with pink eyes, rather than the green ones I had. If it weren't for the fact that she's 23 years old, you might of said that we were twins.

"I guess not. But don't you have work today?"

"Nah. Well, I was supposed to, but I decided to put it off until tomorrow, since I wanted to see you, Mom and Dad before you left. I spoke to Mom last night, but I really wanted to say goodbye in person, just to show that I care…"

She didn't really have to. We all knew she cared plenty about us. But she does call the shots at her job, so I guess she could afford to delay any projects she's been working on. She mainly works as a make-up artist, with a little modelling on the side. She's actually almost as into cosplay as I am, too, and we've worked on quite a few projects together in her spare time. We've always been really close, even when she moved out of our house. But now… This was going to be the furthest we've ever been apart…

"Besides, Mom told me you were really down last night, and that you'd been crying pretty hard. So I figured I should try and cheer you up a little before you go. After all, you've really been looking forward to this ever since you got the news, and all your friends are pretty jealous of you going. Hell, I know I am, too. So the last thing any of us want is for you to be so sad. Otherwise I'll end up taking your place on that plane!"

I laughed at Cassie's tongue in cheek attempt at making me feel better. She was always like that- always joking around, yet managing to keep her serious tone at the same time. Yet ironically, if she'd been the one going to Japan, it'd probably have been her who became a Kampfer, instead of me. God knows how she would have taken that, though it probably would have been much better than how I did.

"Don't worry, I feel a lot better now. I mean, I'm still not sure how I'll be able to fit in there, but just being negative about it won't do me any good. I know I have to be positive. I'm not too fussed about being popular or anything, I'm just going to make sure I'm not hated. That's all I really want."

"Haha, yeah, you don't want to be too popular. It could prove hazardous to your health, you know? Well, I know you'll do your best out there. Just don't forget to write to me every now and again and let me know how you're doing, okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be sure to do that. And thanks for your little pep talk- I'll do my best, don't you worry about that. Oh, and if you want to talk to Mom and Dad, they-"

The next thing I knew, I was sitting in the canteen back at school. Some loud noise had just jolted me back into the real world… Looking ahead, I saw Kaede standing up, with her hands planted on one of the nearby tables. She looked… I don't know.. A little shocked. A little angry perhaps. Whatever it was, she didn't seem too happy. She quickly bolted for the door- what just happened? It certainly seemed to have everyone in the room with their mouths wide open…

"Sakura-san? Sakura-san!" shouted the new girl, who had been sharing the table with Kaede at the time. She turned to Shizuku, who was also sitting at the same table.

"Hey! What are you trying to pull?" She said.

"Nothing, really." Shizuku replied, with a sly look on her face. The newbie slammed her hand on the table…

"Quit acting dumb! You're just making this situation even more complicated!"

"Oh dear. I'm doing this for your sake."

"What the hell?"

"Everything is for your sake." Shizuku glanced at the new girl, who could do nothing more than grit her teeth. Then things once again got out of hand. The other girls in the room were starting to go crazy again…

"Natsuru-sama, is it true?"

"I can't believe you love that Natsuru guy!"

"How cruel, I can't believe she'd betray us like this."

Everyone began to crowd around the new girl, acting quite hysterically. What the hell did Shizuku just say to get them all so agitated? Something about both Natsurus dating each other, from the sound of it. Now, why would she say something like that? Judging from the female Natsuru's reaction, it was obviously a lie. As I thought about this, the blue haired newcomer managed to jump out of the crowd, and she quickly ran out of the door in a state of panic. Maybe it was my imagination, but did I just see her bracelet glowing? Whatever was going on, the crowd started to calm down. Well, I say they calmed down… They were still pretty hysterical. Guess this wasn't going to blow over anytime soon. Cassie may well have been joking about how dangerous being too popular would be, but if the events of the last few days had been anything to go by, I think even she would be surprised at just how right she was… Heck, it was the unwanted attention Natsuru was getting that triggered my flashback in the first place. Thank god I never became that popular.

…...

It all started yesterday. It had already been a few days since the fight in the park, and I was starting to make some real progress with my training. The confidence I gained when fighting those bullies had proved to be no quick burst- since then, my technique, skill and overall fighting ability had greatly improved. Even the constant bouncing of Megumi's bosoms were proving to be less of a distraction than before! I still hadn't been attacked by any enemy Kampfers since that day, so I was still a little nervous about doing battle for real, but I felt I was ready. All I could do now was hope that it'd be enough to keep me alive in this war.

As for the incident in the library, the official word following the investigation was that some of the bookcases were badly made, and they had collapsed. That sounded like a really stupid excuse, but everyone seemed to buy it. In any case, the remaining bookcases in the library were examined to make sure they wouldn't topple over as well, and the ones replacing the bookcases that got smashed were ordered from a "more reliable company". As I thought, Shizuku had managed to cover our tracks quite well. But couldn't she have come up with a better explanation? I mean, seriously! All that, however, was overshadowed by those rumours about the mystery girl. It had even got to the point where the newspaper club was writing about her. Those rumours were finally dispelled with the announcement that a new student would be joining the school. And in my class, no less! The transfer was arranged by Shizuku, so I was willing to bet that this new student was also a Kampfer, and also one of the two I heard in the library all that time ago. After all, why else would Shizuku go through all that trouble? The question at the time was, which one? I was really hoping it would be the girl who saved Kaede back then, and not the violent redhead… Whichever it was, it was causing a huge stir around the entire school- in both the boy's and the girl's sides!

The day the new student was due to start had finally come, and my entire classroom couldn't stop talking about her. They were all wondering if she was the same girl that all the rumours were going on about, if she was pretty or not, what her personality was like, all that kind of stuff. The only one who wasn't buzzing about it, apart from me (Though I was certainly curious about her…), was Akane, who was keeping silent about it. I was going to go up to her and talk about it, but we'd already been told to stay in our seats. Our teacher, who was starting to get fed up with the constant chatter, started to speak out loud.

"Come on, let's stop talking now. I know you're all excited about the new student, but let's try and maintain calm, shall we? And let's try to make her feel welcome too. No pranking her, or anything."

We all nodded.

"Very good." The teacher continued. "Alright, you can come in, now!"

The classroom door opened, and the new student walked in. The first thing I noticed about her was her dark blue hair, which was tied back, and her blue eyes. Yeah, this had to be the girl who Kaede described back in the infirmary, and the one I heard in the library. Her uniform was mostly the same as ours, albeit with shorter sleeves. On her left hand, she was wearing a navy blue glove, while on her right wrist was a blue bracelet. That confirmed something else- she was indeed a Kampfer, and an enemy at that. She was also quite well endowed, pretty close to my own bust size, though nothing compared to Megumi. Something was really beginning to bug me about her- she seemed really familiar to me, like I'd seen her before. And I didn't mean back in the library… As she looked around the class nervously, the teacher spoke again.

"Alright class, listen up. This is Natsuru Senou, and she'll be part of this class from now on."

Wait- WHAT? Natsuru… Senou? That couldn't be possible! And yet… The blue hair and eyes, the same name… Surely that was no coincidence? But didn't Pierced Sea Turtle say that Kampfers have to be female? No, it HAD to be a coincidence. There's no way-

"Umm… Nice to meet you all." The new girl shyly said, interrupting my thoughts. That was the same, rather masculine voice I heard in the library! It really was the same Kampfer who was with that Gewehr user back then… She certainly seemed to have everyone's attention, as the whole class was looking at her, wide eyed. Everyone, that is, apart from Akane. I could of sworn I saw Natsuru baulk at her upon sight at that point- wonder why? Did they know each other? And just who is this girl, anyway? And why does she share the same name as Nat-

"Senou-san, you'll sit…" The teacher started to say. Damn, that's the second time in the last minute or so my thoughts had been interrupted…

"There's an open seat next to me-" started Akane, raising her hand. But before she could finish, all hell broke loose…

With the exception of myself, the entire class jumped out of their seats and ran towards Natsuru, squealing. Poor Akane was knocked over and trampled in the stampede, who were now crowding around the newbie, all trying to grab at her while asking a ton of inappropriate questions. I'd honestly never seen anything like it before, and if I'm honest, it was creeping me out a little. I got out of my seat to help out Akane, who was still a little shell shocked after being run over by the crowd, but she'd managed to get up on her own. Not for long, mind- she tried to get to the crowd, presumably to get Natsuru out, but was immediately knocked down again. This time, I picked her up from the ground and dragged her away from the chaos.

"You okay?" I asked. Judging from Akane's spinning eyes and lack of ability to communicate, it was safe to assume she wasn't. Suddenly, everything got a little more quiet. Natsuru had just been plucked out of the crowd by a girl with glasses, and blonde hair that was tied in a ponytail. Oh boy, I could see where this was going…

"You'll be sitting next to me, the class rep." She said. Knew it… Our class representative wanted a piece of the new girl too…

"Natsuru-tan, please let me smell you." said another girl, whose hair was short, and a lighter blonde colour to the class rep. She was the vice rep, and I never really got over her weird obsession with smells….

"Do you want a pot that brings you fortune? If you buy it now for twelve instalments, it will only cost you this much." said another girl with short purple hair. She was tapping away on a calculator and showing it to Natsuru. The class treasurer, still trying to get students to buy stuff. I know she's done that to me a few times in the past… Just when things couldn't get more insane, the classroom door opened, and we all turned to see Kaede standing in the doorway!

"That's enough!" She said. "She's been away from school for a while, so stop bothering her!"

"Bothering her?" Said one of the students.

"Not at all." said another. By this point, Akane had now recovered, and was sitting upright on the floor.

"Shizuku-chan- The student council president asked me to look after her!" Kaede replied. Everyone fell silent. With that, Kaede walked over to Natsuru, grabbed her by the wrist, and left the classroom with her, stopping to bow as she reached the doorway. As they left, Akane picked herself up from the floor and made her way to the door.

"Wait! Natsuru-sa-" she started, but before she could go any further, the class huddled around the door, knocking her down on the floor again. As the girls started squealing again, the teacher looked on, her patience getting lower every second. I sighed as I watched the scene. This was going to get annoying…

…...

We all managed to sit down eventually, and Natsuru came back shortly afterwards- courtesy of Akane, who left the room to get her after everything settled down. Not that it did much good. The entire class were too busy fawning over Natsuru to concentrate on their work, so only Akane and myself managed to get anything done. Speaking of Akane, she looked pretty mad during class for some reason. Was it because of what happened earlier? Actually, she seemed okay when she left the room to find Natsuru. Maybe she did something to piss Akane off? By the time the bell for break finally rang, I was relieved. I could finally get away from this classroom and all these crazy people. And I wasn't even the one who everyone was drooling over…

I decided to sit down at the canteen, since I wanted something to eat anyway. The whole place didn't seem particularly full of people, which was unusual. Or at least it would have been, if I didn't know where everyone was- queuing up outside my classroom to catch a peek at the new student… Even the few people who were in the canteen were both talking and gushing about her. Give me a break… Alright, so she was on my mind, too. But that was more to do with the fact that she had so many similarities to the male Natsuru. I wondered if she was his twin sister or something. Next time I see him, I'm going to ask him about her…

"Um, is this seat taken, Tara?" said a voice from right next to me. I looked around and saw Akane, who was gripping the seat next to me.

"No, it's all yours." I said. Akane sat down at the table next to me. She still seemed a little cross… Maybe I should try and cheer her up.

"Guess you couldn't put up with Natsuru's screeching fan club either, huh? Wonder what got into them?" Yeah, that's a REALLY great way of making someone feel better. Well done, Tara!

"I don't know, but everyone seems to have really taken an interest in her. Right now, she's being interviewed by Masumi for the newspaper club." Akane replied. Uh oh…

"Damn, you think we should try and rescue her? We both know Masumi's going to make some random bullshit up about her. That could make things even worse."

Akane prepared to say something, but then decided to keep silent. Was she still mad?

"Hey… Akane… Are you okay? You've looked really pissed off all morning. Is something wrong? You know you can talk to me if something's bothering you…"

"I guess. Natsuru's really getting on my nerves. The male one, I mean- not the new one."

"Oh yeah. I noticed you two seemed to know each other. Are you… in lo-"

"NO! N-no, it's not that." Akane snapped. "I-I don't really know. I think I like him, but… he's way too interested in Sakura to pay any attention to me!" Ah, so the cat's out of the bag. She really does have a crush on him. How sweet.

"Him and every boy in the school. If you really like him that much, you'd have to do a lot to try and win him over."

"I know. But what can I do? Sakura's one of the most popular girls in the school, and I'm just… I'm just a librarian. I've never even really talked to a boy before I met Natsuru… How can I get him to notice me?"

"I wouldn't really know. I've never had a boyfriend myself. I got plenty of attention from them, and I've been asked out a lot, but I've always turned them down. I guess I'm still looking for the right person to come along. Do you really think Natsuru's the one for you?"

Akane thought for a moment, then nodded. Then a brainwave hit me.

"I know! Why don't you buy him a cake after school and ask if you could share it with him? It's just an idea, but maybe he'll appreciate it and get that little bit closer to you!"

"Actually, that's a great idea. Maybe I'll give that a try! Thanks Tara!" Akane said. She looked a lot happier now, so that it seemed talking to her did some good after all. The bell rang right afterwards, signalling the end of break.

"Looks like it's back to the lion's den, eh?" I asked, jokingly.

"I suppose so." Akane replied. We both got out of our seats and headed back to class. A thought quickly struck me as we left- damn, I really should have asked Akane more about the female Natsuru. I had a strange feeling she knew her, too…

…...

By the time lunch came, it seemed as though the newspaper club were done with their article on Natsuru. That was fast… I decided to take a look at the paper during lunch, just to see how much damage Masumi had done. And as I expected, it was quite a lot- the article had made Natsuru out to be a lesbian, which I was willing to bet wasn't really true. She didn't seem to be that kind of person to me… Nonetheless, all the girls in school believed it, and spent pretty much the entire lunch break chasing the poor girl. Sucked to be her. I was actually starting to feel sorry for her. I knew she was an enemy, but still…

Finally, after a very long day (which surely must have been even longer for Natsuru), The last bell rung, and it was time to go home. I didn't, though- I decided to stay in the library for a little while to do my homework. There was a lot to get done, but I managed to do most of it in the space of an hour. Figuring I could easily do the rest of it at home, I packed up and left the library. As I made my way across the school, I heard some strange noises coming from one of the storage sheds nearby. Noises that sounded a lot like… someone being tickled? I walked towards the shed with a good idea of what was going on. As I approached it, I heard a lot of arguing, then a familiar sounding cry.

"Enough already! Stop!"

As I thought, Natsuru was still having problems with her fan girls. At this point, I felt I really had to step in and help her. Enemy or not, she didn't deserve this. I entered the shed and found Natsuru lying down in a gym uniform, tied up. Huddled around her were three other girls who were, um… fondling… her. And there I was thinking Japan wasn't quite as pervy as all the anime I watched had made out…

"Hey, don't you think she's had enough?" I asked the girls, who stopped groping Natsuru long enough to turn and face me. "Come on, let her go, okay?"

"No way!" said one of the girls. "You just want Natsuru-chan for yourself!"

"Hardly." I said, as nicely as I could. Unlike the bullies I fought a few days back, this really wasn't worth a fight. "I just think she's been through enough today. Or should I tell the student council president about this? I'm sure she'd think of a fitting punishment for you all…"

The girls seemed to back off after hearing that. I had a feeling Shizuku probably wouldn't have done anything if she did know about this- in fact, she probably would have enjoyed it. But it seemed to work, which was all I wanted. The girls walked out of the shed without saying a word. Wow, didn't think everyone feared Shizuku that much… With them out of the way, I went towards Natsuru and untied her.

"Come on, let's get you out of here." I said, helping Natsuru up. She looked pretty nervous- it was obvious she thought I was just another groupie.

"It's okay, I'm not going to kidnap or molest you, or anything. I'm actually pretty sane, unlike all those girls who've been swooning over you all day. Here, you'd better get changed. Don't worry, I won't peek!"

I tossed Natsuru her school clothes, which were lying by my feet, and she just nodded, still unsure whether or not she could trust me. I left the shed and stayed outside as she got changed. A few minutes later, she emerged, back in her uniform.

"Ummm… Thank you…" she said, bowing.

"Think nothing of it. You've clearly been through a lot today, so I felt you could use a break… I think you should go home now, before anything else happens. I'll help you get out of here, if you like. Oh, I'm Tara, by the way. Nice to meet you!"

"Y-yeah. Thanks. Nice to meet you too, Tara." said Natsuru, looking as though she was willing to trust me now.

We both snuck our way out of the school, making sure not to be spotted by anyone from Natsuru's fan club- everyone, basically. Once we finally got out of there, we made our way to her home. On the way, we started talking about everything that had happened today. From the way Natsuru was hunched forwards while walking, it was clear it had taken it's toll on her.

"So the class rep was trying to cash in on your popularity, huh?" I asked. Natsuru nodded.

"I was lucky to escape when I did- she had a pretty big schedule for me. I've never felt so violated in all my life…"

"I can tell. It's strange- I've been here a month or so now, and I've never seen them act like this. Wonder if it's the lack of contact with boys that's screwing them up so much?"

"You've only been here a month?" asked Natsuru, turning to face me while still hunched forwards.

"Yeah. I'm from America, you see, and I moved here a short while ago because my Mom got a promotion in her job. What about you? You said you've away from school for a while. Why is that?"

"Oh… I… um… I had a long illness. It was pretty nasty, and it stopped me from going to school for a long time. I only just recovered a few days ago." I knew she was lying- after all, I knew she was in the library when she attacked, and I could tell she was in peak condition. But I couldn't let on that I knew. Otherwise I would have let slip that I'm a Kampfer too, and an enemy at that. It was that very reason why I wasn't going to ask about her bracelet, either.

"Sounds awful. But at least you're better now, eh? Though you were probably better off staying at home, if you ask me!"

"Tell me about it. Today was a disaster. And I don't think tomorrow will be any better…"

"Well, if you're worried about your fan club, you can always hang out with me at school. I'll try and keep them at bay, just you see…"

"I- I guess I could do that. But wouldn't I be a bother to you?"

"Not nearly as much of a bother as all those fan girls are to you. If you ever want me, I'm normally in the library or the canteen, so come and find me in either of those places."

"Okay. Thanks." Natsuru suddenly came to a stop as we reached one of the bus stops.

"Ummm… I can walk the rest of the way on my own, if that's okay with you. My place is only a few minutes away, so I'll be fine now." she said.

"Sure, no problem. I'll see you tomorrow, then." I replied. Natsuru turned to her right and walked down the path there, while I continued down the path we were originally using. There was still a lot I wanted to ask her about, like her relationship with Akane, and Shizuku for that matter- it was, after all, her who arranged for Natsuru to be transferred to my school in the first place. But there was still plenty of time for that.

I got home shortly after parting with Natsuru. After having dinner that night, I finished my homework before retiring to my room. I'd already finished that book Laura sent me, but I really felt like going through it again. Taking my reading glasses out of my backpack, I put them on and started reading. But as I got through the first few pages, Pierced Sea Turtle decided to open her mouth…

"Hey, heard there was a new girl in your school today, and she was an enemy Kampfer!"

"That's right." I replied. "Her name's Natsuru Senou, and she was transferred here by the student council president, who just so happens to be a red Kampfer herself. Quite why she did it, I'll never know. Why would she help an enemy?"

"She probably did it against the newbie's will. But that's not important. What I want to know is-"

"I didn't fight her, no." I said, finishing Pierced Sea Turtle's words. I knew she was going to ask that. "She had her hands full trying to fend off the fan club she just got. I ended up helping her out in the end. I even walked her home, and got talking to her. I think we might even end up being friends."

"Ah, the old "Know your enemy" trick. You hoped to find out more about her in the hope that it could give you an advantage when you fight her. A very sneaky tactic!"

"Who said anything about tactics? I'm just curious about her. Besides, she went through a lot today, and she seems like a nice person. I don't think she's the kind of person who'd just attack me just like that, and since I won't start a fight with her, I don't think there'll be a problem."

"Woah, woah, woah! I thought you said you were going to fight from now on!" said Pierced Sea Turtle, a little shocked at my words.

"I never said that." I replied. "I said that I wouldn't run away anymore. I'll still try and avoid fighting when I can, but I will fight if there's no other option."

"There's NEVER any other option! Once an enemy finds you, there's no escaping from them! You can try all you like, but you'll end up fighting regardless of what you do! Why can't you understand that?"

I was starting to lose patience again. I grabbed Pierced Sea Turtle by the head and squeezed it hard, which was fast becoming my favourite way of venting my anger out on her.

"Okay. You clearly weren't listening the first few times I told you this. So let me tell you once again. If I'm attacked by an enemy, I'll fight. If any of my friends are in danger, I'll fight. If I see someone with a bracelet of the opposite colour, and she hasn't noticed me, I won't fight, unless she does notice me and attack. I'll fight when I have to, but I won't start any fights myself. Am I perfectly clear, now?"

"Okay, okay, you've made your point! Let me go!"

I dropped Pierced Sea Turtle on the floor, and she picked herself back up.

"Just don't go thinking that new girl won't attack you just because she seems nice. She could be a completely different person when she transforms. Sometimes it's not just a Kampfer's appearance that changes when they transform, but sometimes other aspects about them as well- like their personality. How do you know this girl doesn't become a total bitch when she's in her Kampfer form?"

She certainly hadn't said anything about that before. I thought about it for a second, then remembered back to what happened the library. Natsuru was one of the two Kampfers being attacked back there, so she had to have been transformed during then. Yet she sounded exactly the same as she did today. No, I was positive that Natsuru's personality was no different in her Kampfer form than it was when she was normal. However, another thought suddenly crossed my mind. Something I'd wondered about before… I turned to Pierced Sea Turtle.

"You once said that all Kampfers must be female, right? So it isn't possible for a guy to become one?"

"Absolutely not. It's impossible for a male to become a Kampfer. Why do you ask?"

"Well… A few says ago, Shizuku- that red Kampfer I told you about- attacked a pair of Kampfers in the library at school. Natsuru was one of them. Now, there's this boy in my school. His name is also Natsuru Senou, and I saw him go pretty deep in the library right before the attack. However, I didn't see him when I went down there myself. Don't you think it's strange that he's not there, but the female one is? Plus, both Natsurus have blue hair and blue eyes. I'm stating to wonder if they're the same person…"

"Well, you can forget that little theory. Nothing like that has ever happened in this war, and I doubt it ever will. You're just thinking too much. Just let it go!"

I sighed. That dumb plushie most likely does know what she's talking about, so maybe I should take her word for it. Maybe I really am over thinking things. There's no way the male and female Natsurus could possibly be one and the same…

…...

I knew the next day was going to be even crazier than the one that came before it, but I had no idea just how much crazier. It had now been several hours since what happened in the canteen, and the students were still in a state of shock. As I originally thought, it turned out that Shizuku had claimed that the female Natsuru was dating the male one, which was obviously a lie. Akane also seemed pretty mad. According to her, she took my advice and bought some cake to share with the male Natsuru, but all he seemed to do was talk about Kaede. Well, I can't say I tried to help… Eventually, the bell for lunch rang, so I packed my stuff away and left my seat. But as I did so, the teacher gave me a message to go to the student council office! Shizuku wanted to talk to me? I could only guess what this was about.

As I went down the elevator to the office, I kept wondering if I should give Shizuku a piece of my mind for what she did to Natsuru this morning. What right did she have to make things even worse for her? Then again, it's probably not the best idea to cross her. Who knows what she could do if I got on her bad side? The elevator suddenly came to a halt, and the doors opened. I walked into the office to see Shizuku sitting at her desk.

"I've been expecting you, Tara. Please take a seat." she said, without even a hint of emotion in her voice. I sat down on one of the seats and waited for the president to tell me why I was here…

"So, what do you think of Miss Senou? Hopefully that little rumour I spread will keep her groupies at bay for a while." she said.

"Yeah… About that… Was that really necessary? It only seems to have made things worse for her!" I replied.

"Admittedly, it didn't turn out quite the way I planned, but she'll just have to manage for now. In any case, I didn't ask for you so we could talk about her. I've heard from Megumi that your skills as a Kampfer have improved considerably over the last few days. Do you really feel you can fight now?"

"I think so. But I won't know until I fight for real. Wait a second- how do you know Megumi? Unless-"

"That's right. I'm the one who showed her the ropes when she first became a Kampfer. Though I admit, she was a lot less cowardly than you were, even back then. I saw a lot in her, as she sees in you now, and although I couldn't teach her how to effectively use her Zauber, I was still able to give her enough confidence to fight. We've been good friends ever since."

So Shizuku was the one who helped Megumi. That does kind of make sense, I guess. They're both on the same side, so it's only natural they should help each other.

"So, you asked Megumi to keep an eye on me?" I said.

"No, that was her idea." Shizuku replied. "She did tell me she found a new Kampfer, but I didn't know it was you until you attacked me in the library. It's surprising, actually. Normally, I can sense whether or not someone is a Kampfer, but I never felt that with you. Still, we can think about that later, because that isn't why you're here, either."

"So why am I here?"

"Well, you say you're now able to fight. I've also looked at your file- it seems you're a very intelligent girl, which would prove very useful if you were on the student council."

Wait- did she just say what I thought she did?

"Y-you're asking me to be in the student council? But what could I possibly do on there?" I asked.

"That's my idea, yes." Shizuku replied. "I could use someone like you to be my right hand man. Someone to keep an eye on anyone who may be a potential Kampfer, or to help cover our tracks should there ever be a battle on school grounds, like in the library. Or just someone who can help keep the school organised, like a true student council does. You have the brains for the job, and I believe you when you say you are now able to fight, which you may have to do. So? Are you in?"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Me? On the student council? I didn't know what to think. Would I just end up being Shizuku's lapdog? This isn't the sort of decision I could make right now.

"I don't know. Can I have some time to think it over? I don't think I can answer right now…"

"Very well. I'll give you until the end of the Cultural Festival to think about it, then I'll be expecting an answer. It's a few weeks away, so that'll give you plenty of time. Consider yourself lucky I'm even giving you that much time. Anyone else would have been forced into it whether they liked it or not, let alone have all that time to think it through. Just remember, I want an answer once the festival is over. You may leave."

"Um… Thanks. Yeah, I'll give you your answer after the festival, then."

I bowed and left the office. On my way back up, I naturally had a lot on my mind. Should I take the position? Why was Shizuku giving me special treatment- did she like me, or something? Or did Megumi ask her to go easy on me? Well, whatever. All I knew was, the Cultural festival was a few weeks away. I had to make up my mind, and fast!


	8. Chapter 8: Rematch

**OK, so maybe that last chapter wasn't particularly great, but this one, I hope, is a big improvement. It takes place during the events of episode 4 of the anime, though it doesn't follow the storyline apart from a few references. We get a little more plot development- though much of it will be familiar to those who watched the anime and read the manga- and we learn a little more about Megumi's motives. Tara also has her first major fight since she toughened up in chapter six. That scene is another one I wish I could have done better, so maybe once I figure out how I can improve it, I'll redo it. There's even some fan service at the end too, so you can't say this isn't an eventful chapter!**

**As ever, please read and review. I really want to know what you think of it!**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Kampfer.**

Chapter eight- Rematch

If there was one thing about living in Japan that I still hadn't adjusted to, it was the fact that I only got one day off from school. Never quite got used to going in on a Saturday, especially since that was always my lie in day back home. I really missed that… I always wondered why exactly they have school on Saturdays in this country- it always seemed so crazy to me. Still, it was something I had to put up with, and compared to the fact that I'm now a supernatural warrior who has to fight others like me, it wasn't quite so bad. I'd been badly waiting for this particular Sunday for two reasons. Firstly, I was desperate to get away from school for a little while due to the chaos that had engulfed it ever since Natsuru joined. Secondly, Mom and Dad went off on a day trip to Akihabara, meaning I had the whole house to myself! Too bad it was too hot to really do much with my spare time. I'd spent a sizable amount of the morning playing Tales Of Graces on my Wii (He he, everyone back home were going to be so jealous when they found out I'd been playing that one!), and right now, I was on my PC, playing Solitaire. Or, as I liked to call it, Digital Crack. Now, if only I could actually win at it every once in a while… Having lost yet another game, I looked at my dismal win percentage. 19%. Awful. Simply awful. And I wasn't the only one who thought so.

"Wow, you really suck at this!" said Pierced Sea Turtle, who'd been watching me play.

"Ugh, don't remind me. Yet I always keep coming back for more. I must have a sadistic streak…"

"You sure do, judging from the amount of times you've thrown me against the wall lately."

"Shut up. I didn't mean it like that." I said, while having another game. Oh, SHIT! Not again! Stupid game! This is really pissing me off…"

I was getting pretty agitated over this, and the fact I was really hot didn't help matters either. I really needed something to drink, so I went downstairs to get something from the refrigerator. I came back up with two cans of Diet Coke, and found Pierced Sea Turtle at my computer, having her own play of Solitaire. And she actually won!

"How… did you do that? You don't even have any hands!" I said.

"I'm just that good." boasted Pierced Sea Turtle, right before noticing the cans of drink in my hands.

"Wow! You got something for me, too? Thanks a lot!"

"Uh- no." I said, sitting down and opening one of the cans. "These are both for me. One can simply isn't enough for me. Besides, you can't really drink anything." I quickly gulped down the drink, then started on the second can.

"Geez, how quickly can you drink those things?"

"Oh, don't be so surprised. Back home, I actually got through an entire six pack of this stuff in five minutes!"

"Uh huh. You must be a real hit at parties…"

Before I could answer back, I heard a knock at the front door. I wondered who that could be- Mom and Dad weren't due home for a while… It couldn't have been Akane, as I knew she was going shopping with Natsuru today. The female one, I should add. I headed down to the door and opened it.

"Hi Tara! How are you today?" It was Megumi. Wasn't expecting to see her today…

"I'm good, thanks." I said. "Feeling pretty hot, but otherwise I'm good. So, what brings you here?"

"You certainly look hot today." Megumi replied, with a cheeky smile on her face. "I actually came to ask if you're free at the moment."

"Well, I'm not really doing much today. It's my turn to do the washing today, but I can do that anytime, and my homework's already done. Do you have something in mind? More training, perhaps?"

"No, I think you've trained enough for now. I wanted to ask if you wanted to come shopping with me today. I've got some errands to run, so I was wondering if you wanted to come with me."

"Shopping, huh? Sounds good. I think I need to get out of this house for a little while, anyway."

"Your messenger getting on your nerves?"

"She always gets on my nerves. Nah, I'm just a little bored, is all. Give me a moment, and I'll go get my purse."

I ran upstairs to switch off my computer and grab my purse.

"I'm going out with Megumi for a little while. Behave yourself, OK?" I said to Pierced Sea Turtle as I left the room.

"Going out? You mean on a date?"

"Of course not! I'm just going shopping with her!"

"Whatever. I've seen the way she's been flirting with you. It's so obvious she's got some weird yuri crush-"

"Don't say another word. It's unlikely she has a crush on me. We're just friends. That's all."

"Yeah, right. Oh well, have fun on your date…"

Grrrr, forget it. It's worthless trying to talk to her. I walked back out of my room and went back downstairs, stopping to get my front door key. With that in hand, I walked out of the house and left with Megumi.

…...

"So, I heard from Shizuku that she wants you on the student council. Have you made up your mind about that yet?" said Megumi as we approached the shopping district. I had a feeling she was going to bring that up.

"Not yet, no. Right now, I don't think I should. It seems that all she wants from me is to spy on other Kampfers, and not much else. I think I'd just be a lackey, and I don't really want that."

"I thought you'd say that. When Shizuku called me about her plan, I had to do everything I could to convince her not to force you into anything. She can be quite pushy, as she was with that Natsuru girl. Since you're only just getting used to being a Kampfer, and you've a rough time of it at the start, I felt the last thing you needed was to be pressed into doing anything else you didn't want to do. Luckily, it looks like Shizuku kept her promise. Must have been the hardest thing she's ever done."

"Hard to believe you ended up being friends with her."

"Well… She may seem harsh, and she does like to tease people, but she does ultimately have a good heart. I really owe a lot to her, since she helped me become a better fighter. She went through exactly the same thing herself, actually. She too was pretty weak when she first became a Kampfer, but she also received help. A Zauber type named Tamiko taught her a lot about fighting, and they too became friends after that. Shizuku really adored her."

Wow, that was a surprise. Who'd have thought that Shizuku actually cared for anyone?

"I guess it's kinda funny." I said. "This Tamiko girl helped Shizuku, who then helped you, and then you helped me. It's almost like a cycle of some kind."

Megumi's face turned grim.

"I really hope not. Otherwise… Both Shizuku and I would both end up like Tamiko in the end…"

"Why's that? What happened to her?"

"She died. She was killed by a Gewehr type, like you almost were. That's not all, either. Do you know what happens to a Kampfer after being defeated?"

I shook my head. I didn't want to know, but I knew I was about to…

"All traces of them disappear. And I don't mean they just vanish- their very existence is wiped out. Their pasts, their memories, other people's memories of them, including their own families- it's like they simply never existed. In a way, I suppose that's a good thing for Tamiko's family. Just imagine the pain of losing your daughter or sister in such mysterious circumstances, with no hope of ever finding out the truth. But that doesn't change the fact that if you lose, you're gone for good."

"My god… That's awful. So, I'm guessing Shizuku never got over that?"

"Not really. That incident made her wonder about something- why do we Kampfers fight? We're made to fight one another, with such a terrible cost for losing. And for what? What are the Moderators' intentions? Our messengers won't tell us why we fight- or rather, they can't. That's Shizuku's reason for fighting. To find out exactly why we fight."

"Can't say I blame her. That's something I've been wondering a lot about myself ever since I became a Kampfer. I mean, do the Moderators seriously think we'd just fight and not question why we do so?"

"I know. It just doesn't seem right. I just wonder if we'll ever find out the truth… But I want to know too. And then put a stop to it. I really don't want this war to go on for any longer than it already has."

"And that's your main reason for fighting? To try and end this whole thing?"

"Yes. I want this war to end, before more innocent people like you are dragged in. It's fair to say that eventually, we'll get too close to the truth, and the Moderators may make a move against us. But we can't let that stop us. We have to know why we're fighting, and then maybe try to stop it once and for all."

I looked at Megumi and thought. Maybe this was the main reason Shizuku wanted me on the student council. Perhaps she wanted me to help her find the answers she so desperately wanted…

"This is starting to get kind of depressing." sighed Megumi. "Maybe we should talk about something else… Hey, do you know what you're doing for the Cultural Festival yet?"

"I dunno what my class is doing, though I think I heard the class rep talking about a maid café. Sounds pretty unoriginal, but I guess it might be fun. The big news, however, is the fact that they're bringing back the Miss Seitetsu beauty pageant for the first time since the school became co-ed. Can't imagine what that was like back then… It's been said that Shizuku entered Natsuru into it, without her consent, of course. "

"Ha ha, why am I not surprised? Should be an interesting couple of days, then. I think I'll have to pay a visit this year." Megumi then stopped by a convenience store.

"Ah, I need to get a few things here." she said, pulling out a shopping list. "Right, let's see… Yeah, I should be able to get most of it here. You coming?"

"Of course!" I said. We both entered the store, and shortly came out with some shopping. Megumi had bought a lot of groceries, most of which I guessed wasn't actually for her. I didn't get quite so much- a couple of boxes of Pocky, and the latest issues of the Megami and NewType magazines. Shortly afterwards, we stopped off at a material store, since I finally decided to start work on a few cosplay outfits, and needed some materials for them. Megumi also wanted to get a few things there herself. As we left the store, I turned to her.

"So, those materials are for a new dress?

"Yeah, someone asked me to do make one for her as a commission. It's how I earn my money around here, just like the errands I run. I haven't been able to find a real job right now, so this has been a good way for me to earn my way in life."

And there I was thinking she did all that just out of kindness. But I didn't doubt that she did it for that reason, too. As we continued our way around the shopping district, Megumi asked me about what costumes I was going to be making, but I decided to keep her in the dark. I liked teasing people like that. Soon, we came to a pharmacy, which reminded me that there was something else I'd been meaning to buy…

"Hey, give me a sec, will you?" I said, before bolting into the store. A few minutes later, I came back out with a small paper bag.

"What's that?" asked Megumi.

"A mini first aid kit." I said. "I figured that if I'm going to be fighting a lot, I'll probably take a few knocks in the process. We do have a first aid kit at home, but if I end up using it a lot, my parents might get suspicious and wonder what's going on. I don't normally hurt myself that much, so it'd definitely be strange to my Mom and Dad that I'm using the main first aid kit so much…"

"So, you're going to use that small one for when you get hurt as a Kampfer. Good idea. It's nice to see you're willing to accept the fact you're going to be fighting a lot, and that you're thinking ahead."

"Well, you should always be prepared, especially when you're living with other people who could easily find out your little secret. So, do you have everything?"

"Yup, everything on my list. I suppose, then, that you want to call it a day?"

"I guess so. It'll be getting dark soon, and I have some other things to do before my parents get back."

"Right, I think we should make a move, then."

…...

The sun was starting to set as we made our way home. We soon made it to Megumi's house, where we parted ways.

"You sure you're okay going the rest of the way on your own?" asked Megumi.

"I'll be fine. Thanks for the trip out, it was fun!"

"That's okay, it was nice to spend some extra time with you. See you soon!"

Megumi smiled and walked through her front door. After she close the door behind her, I started to make the rest of my way home. As I walked through the streets, I started to think about that position on the student council that Shizuku offered me. I still wasn't sure if I wanted to take it. On one hand, I was pretty sure that I'd be kept on a tight leash. I'd probably be made to do a lot of things I wouldn't feel comfortable with… On the other hand, what Shizuku really wants is to find out why we Kampfers are being made to fight. Those are answers I want, as well- surely we'd have a much better chance of finding them if we worked together? But before I could think it through any further, I looked down at my bracelet and saw it glowing again! Well, crap. Before I knew it, I had transformed into my Kampfer form, and all I could do was look around to try and see where my opponent was. Then, I felt a gun being pointed at the back of my head. Shit, not her again…

"Yo, shithead. Didn't think I'd run into you again. Always thought you'd have been blown to bits by another Kampfer by now. Or have ya learned a few tricks since last time?"

Yup, it was definitely that foul mouthed Gewehr type I thought when I first became a Kampfer, and the same one who was with Natsuru in the library. I could feel my heart pounding away, and I couldn't say I wasn't scared. But I knew I'd have to fight. And I wasn't going to run away from this one.

"Well?" she asked. "Are ya gonna give me a challenge this time? Or are ya just gonna die here and now?"

"Let me put it this way." I said. "I don't like to disappoint. And I'm definitely not the same person I was last time. Let's do this!"

No sooner had I said that, I instantly swung my sword over my enemy's head, an attack she only barely dodged. It was at that point where I realised I was still carrying my shopping from the afternoon. Great, so I not only need to stay alive, but I need to make sure my stuff doesn't become swiss cheese too… The enemy had now started shooting, so I quickly swung my sword into a defensive position to block the bullets. About ten seconds later, the shooting stopped- had she given up already? I dropped my guard and saw that my opponent was gone. There's no way she'd have run away- where was she? I soon found out- I heard some gunshots right above my head! She had jumped right over me, firing when she was above me! I wasn't going to go down that easily, though. I quickly rolled to the side to dodge the bullets, and the enemy Kampfer landed nearby.

"Faster than ever, I see. No one coulda dodged that one easily. Heh, now this is more like it! Can't stand ta fight wimps who barely even put up a fight…"

"Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it…" I said, ready for another attack. Alright Tara, just remember what Megumi said. Try to anticipate what the enemy is about to do, then look for an opening. Well, all this one could seem to do is shoot at me, and she didn't seem to be a very good shot. However, she's fast, and can easily avoid my attacks. Even if I did find an opening, it wouldn't do me much good right now. I needed to find another approach…

"You've gotten kinda cocky. I like that. Not that it'll do ya much good when yer pushin' up daisies…" Before I knew it, my opponent started shooting yet again. I managed to slice most of them in half, and avoid the rest, until I felt a sharp pain in my left shoulder. I turned my head to look at it, and saw my shoulder bleeding- I'd just been hit by one of the bullets. I didn't feel the bullet inside the wound, so it must have just grazed me. Nonetheless, it was still bleeding quite a bit… Damn, what do I do now? Suddenly, an idea hit me! I quickly threw my shopping bag into the air, in the hope that it would catch my enemy's attention.

"What the fuck?" she said, looking up at the bag. Bingo. While she was distracted, I charged in and performed a flying kick on her, sending her sliding across the floor. Sweet, it worked! But I wasn't done yet. As my shopping bag fell to the ground, I caught it, slid it down my arm and dashed towards my opponent, who was now trying to get up. No sooner had she done that, I was right next to her, ready to follow up my previous attack. I swung my sword at her, but she was just about able to jump away from it in time. She landed a short distance away from me, and pointed her gun at me. Shit, I couldn't let her fire off any more rounds… Without thinking, I swung my sword at her again, god knows why, as I wasn't close enough to actually hit her. However, as I swung it, a strange surge of energy emitted from it. The energy manifested into a beam of some sort, which then fired at my enemy, striking her in the chest and knocking her into a nearby tree. Woah! I couldn't believe I'd just done that! I'd have to remember that attack in future… The enemy Kampfer somehow managed to get herself up, but it was clear she couldn't take much more punishment.

"Shit, you've gotten tougher." she said, clutching her stomach. "I'm gonna have to try harder next time… Later." She started to stagger off. I'd done it! I actually managed to beat an enemy! In an instant, it felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. If that fight against the bullies in the park made me think I could now hold my own in battle, the fight I had just confirmed it. All I had to do now was keep it up. Suddenly, my attention turned towards the stinging in my shoulder, where that bullet had grazed me earlier. I really needed to do something about that wound… Thankfully, since my shopping was miraculously intact somehow, I still had that first aid kit I bought earlier. It'd probably be a better idea to wait until I got home before treating it, though.

…...

Mom and Dad still hadn't returned by the time I got back. What time was it now? 18.03, if the clock in the kitchen was anything to go by. I think they said they'd be back by about seven o' clock, so that gave me another hour before they returned. As I rushed upstairs, I felt that strange feeling I got whenever I turned back into my normal form, so I quickly peeked into the bathroom mirror to see if I'd changed back. I had, so at least Mom and Dad wouldn't return to see me in my Kampfer form. Pierced Sea Turtle immediately noticed when I came into my room.

"So, how was your date?" she asked.

"Shopping trip, thank you very much. And it went okay, though I was attacked by an enemy Kampfer on the way home."

"That's great! How'd you do this time? I can see you didn't make it unscathed…"

"This?" I said, pointing out the bloodstain on the shoulder of my blouse. "Just a graze. My opponent ended up a lot worse. I still can't believe I made it out in one piece… Now, if you don't mind, I need a little privacy here…"

I picked up Pierced Sea Turtle and dropped her in the gap between my bed and window, then sat down on my bed, searching my shopping bag. Now, where's that first aid kit? Didn't think I'd be needing it so soon, but there you go. Aha! There it is. Having finally dug that out, I pulled off my blouse to take a proper look at that graze. However, I couldn't help but notice my breasts, tucked neatly into that frilly black bra I bought a few weeks back. They were already pretty large, but I somehow felt they'd grown a little bigger still in the last week. I pushed them up and dropped them, watching them jiggle a little. Yup, they definitely had grown a little bit mo- ACK! Wound! Wound! Tend to your wound! I quickly turned my attention away from my boobs and looked at what I was meant to be concentrating on- my shoulder. There was quite a bit of blood on the top half of my shoulder though it had all dried up by now. The wound itself wasn't particularly deep, so that was going to heal up quite fast. I quickly went to the bathroom to clean all the blood from my arm, which ended up stinging like hell. Back in my bedroom, I then opened up my first aid kit and took out an antiseptic wipe, which I then dabbed over my wound. That also stung quite badly, but I managed to bear with it. With that done, I took out the roll of bandage that was inside the kit and wrapped some of it around the wound. Finally, I bit an end off the bandage and tied it up. There, that should help a little. I then had a good look at my blouse- naturally, there was a tear from where that bullet hit me. I'd need to sew that up, but first, I needed to wash the blood off from it. Well, I needed to do the washing anyway, so I felt I might as well wash not only my blouse, but everything else I was wearing. I threw off the rest of my clothes (tossing my skirt over Pierced Sea Turtle, who had now climbed back up onto my bed- I always did that when I got changed, as I never really liked her seeing me naked…), went to my wardrobe and pulled out a fresh pair of pyjamas, which I quickly put on. I then sorted out everything in the washing basket, including my blood stained blouse and the rest of the clothes I'd just taken off, and threw the light coloured stuff into the washing machine. At least that way, my blouse would be cleaned first, and Mom and Dad wouldn't get curious about why it had blood on it. Phew! I could finally sit down and relax for a little while, and boy, had I earned it…

I spent my time reading with the TV on. The evening news was on, but there wasn't anything particularly interesting on there. Eventually, I heard a knock at the door. I quickly rushed over there to open it, and was greeted by Mom and Dad.

"Hi!" said Mom, smiling. "How was your day?"

"Great!" I said. And you know, for the first time in ages, I really wasn't lying! "I went shopping with Megumi this afternoon and got some materials for a new costume I'm hoping to make. How was Akihabara?"

"Busy. Very busy." said Dad. "It gets so crowded there, you wouldn't believe it. Oh, you're in your pyjamas? It's only quarter past seven. Why'd you get changed?"

"I got really hot during the day, and I was sweating pretty badly. So I just decided to get changed and wash my dirty clothes along with the rest of the laundry. I kinda felt I should kill two birds with one stone, you know?"

"Really?" asked Mom. "Your dad and I got pretty hot too, but our clothes weren't that sweaty. You must have done something pretty big to sweat so much you needed to take your clothes off…"

If only she knew…

"Oh well, never mind. It's no big deal. Anyway, what do you say to us ordering a pizza for dinner tonight? Neither of us are in any real mood to cook right now, and I think it'll be a nice end to the day!" Mom continued. Pizza, huh? Sounds perfect!

"Sure, that sounds great!"

"Okay then. I'll get on the phone right away. Better decide what you want first, of course!" said Dad.

"Sure, I'll go find the menu." I said. All that talk of pizza had made me realise just how hungry I was. I hadn't even eaten any of the Pocky I'd bought today. Still, it would make a great end to what had been a pretty eventful day. Now all I needed to think about was the Cultural Festival, and of course, my answer to Shizuku's proposal. But all that could wait until next week…


	9. Chapter 9: The Cultural Festival

**Chapter 9 is finally complete and uploaded! I actually wrote the last seven pages yesterday, as I was pretty desperate to finish it. As a result, some of this felt a bit rushed to me, especially at the end. But still, it's not like I have to keep it like this all the time- there's always room for improvement.**

**In any case, this chapter focuses on the events of episodes 5 and 6 of the anime. We meet Mikoto for the first time, and Tara finally makes up her mind about joining the student council- not to mention she also finds out the true identity of Natsuru and the Gewehr user who's been bugging her ever since she first became a Kampfer (Though it's not like you hadn't figured that one out already…).**

**A few things worthy of note- the conversation between Tara and Mikoto after Mikoto gets Chocking Stray Dog is actually inspired slightly by a conversation between Natsuru and Mikoto in the manga. As it doesn't take place in the anime, I felt it'd be a good idea to sneak it into my fanfic. However, I couldn't use the exact same conversation, as I couldn't find a translation of the chapter it appears in any more. **

**Also, I couldn't resist putting Tara in the same kitty maid outfit that Akane was briefly made to wear in episode 5. I felt it would really suit her, for some reason.**

**OK, I think that's enough jabbering. I know this chapters far from perfect, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. And please review, so I can get some idea of how to improve it!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kampfer.**

Chapter nine- The Cultural Festival

The few weeks leading up to the Cultural Festival were best described as organised chaos. And I use the word "organised" quite loosely. It was sheer madness, what with everyone rushing about trying to get everything done, and all the mishaps that occurred during that time. At times, I even swore I heard several explosions coming the science club room. What the hell was going on in there? Actually, screw that. I had the feeling that the less I knew, the better. The big talk of the festival was, naturally, the beauty contest. Yes, the same one that Shizuku had forced Natsuru to join. It just so happened that some surprise contestants had entered as well- one of which was Shizuku herself! Also taking part was Kaede, who, from what I heard, had done so in order to prove her love to Natsuru, or something. The female Natsuru, I should add. Yes, she was definitely in love with her. Whatever. I was quite surprised when I heard about the third entrant, however- it was Akane! Quite why she wanted to take part, I'll never know. But to be honest, I didn't really care. I had no intention of watching the contest anyway. It sounded like it was going to be a real train wreck. Besides, the only thing on my mind at the moment was my answer to Shizuku's proposal to join the student council. I had to make my mind up by the end of the festival, and I still wasn't sure of what to do.

The day of the festival had finally arrived, and I got held up a little leaving home. This was because I got another letter from Laura in the mail before I left home, so I wanted to have a quick read of it before school. We'd already sent each other a few letters since that first one I got the day I first became a Kampfer, and in the last one I sent, I'd told her about the female Natsuru joining the school, about Megumi, and the run up to the festival.

…...

**Hiya Taz, it's Laura again. (Of course!)**

**Wow. Can't believe you have two similar looking people at school with the same name. You sure they're not twins or anything? That's kinda freaky. The school's reaction to her sounds pretty fucked up, actually. What kind of school have you gotten yourself enrolled into? That Megumi sounds awesome. It's great that you're making friends in Japan, I was worried that you'd have trouble fitting in. Take a photo of her and send it to me, I'd like to see if she really is as beautiful as you say! **

**It sounds so weird that you're actually taking part in a real Cultural Festival. I mean, how many times have we seen stuff like that in all the anime we've watched? I find it funny that your class is doing a maid café, too. Too bad you didn't take your He is My Master cosplay with you, it would have been perfect! And it would've gotten you a ton of attention too! But I digress. Good luck with it all! But what was that about a beauty pageant? Now that's something we'd never have at school here… Certainly sounds interesting. If you go, tell me how it went!**

**Well, hope to hear from you again soon. Everyone's still missing you back here, so we all hope you come back to visit us all soon!**

**Lots of love,**

**Laura XXXXX**

**…**...

Great as it was to hear from her again, I really found myself wishing I'd waited until after I got back home to read the letter, as I was now running seriously late. And I just missed my bus, which made things worse. And so, the nest half hour was spent running to school like I was the bastard child of The Flash and Sonic The Hedgehog. It paid off though, as I just barely made it to school on time. The whole outside area was all done up quite nicely, with plenty of stalls and banners around. Despite the insanity of the last few weeks, everything looked well organised and exciting. It really made me appreciate how much hard work had gone into preparing for the festival. But, of course, I didn't really have the time to stop and admire everything. I still needed to get to class! I started to walk towards the main building, when all of a sudden, I heard a loud, rather spirited voice from behind me.

"NATSURU!"

I turned to see a girl calling out right behind me. She clearly wasn't looking where she was going, and very nearly walked into me. I quickly stepped out of her way, before realising that she wasn't a student- she was wearing normal clothes. I guessed she was here for the festival, and for Natsuru (Though which one was open to debate.). Wondering who she was, I called out to her.

"Hey! Um… You do realise we're not open yet, right? The festival should be opening in another half hour, so I think you should come back then…"

"Huh? The festival? I was wondering why everything looked all fancy. Nah, I'm not here for that, I'm looking for a friend of mine. You know him? Blue hair and eyes, about this tall…" The girl raised her hand up to a little over my own height. Mind you, I already knew who she meant, and that wasn't even taking into account the fact that she was calling out his name…

"Natsuru Senou? Yeah, I know him. I take it you mean the male one right?"

That seemed to have confused my new friend.

"Of course I do! You mean there's another Natsuru here now?"

"Yeah, a girl. And she looks quite a bit like the other one as well. Well, you'll find out soon enough. She's very popular, and she's entering the beauty contest later on today. The other Natsuru might be there, so you might want to check it out."

"You think so? Guess I'll go take a look."

I took a good look at the girl. She was slightly shorter than me and had short, light brown hair, while she also had a decent, though not exceptional figure. I could also see in her eyes that she had a lot of energy in her. As I already mentioned, she was wearing ordinary clothes, which brought up one question…

"Uh… Forgive me for asking, but… shouldn't you be in school right now? You're not wearing a uniform…" I asked.

"I'm not in school right now." the girl replied. "I just got back from a long trip with my parents, so I haven't been in ages. I'm gonna be starting here from tomorrow, so it's all good!"

"You were travelling with your parents?"

"Yup! My parents are archaeologists, so I'm often out of the country. It's great! I've been to a lot of cool places over the last few months. Wanna see some pictures?"

"Um… I'd like to, but I kinda need to get to class right now. Maybe I'll see you again sometime? You can show some to me then."

"I just told you I'm starting here tomorrow, so of course I'll see you again! Name's Mikoto. Mikoto Kondou!"

Wow. Quick to introduce herself to a complete stranger, isn't she? Well, it would have been rude not to introduce myself in return.

"Nice to meet you, Mikoto. I'm Tara Goodman. I'm actually from the United States, myself, but I moved here to Tokyo a few months ago."

"Really? That's so cool! You'll have to tell me more about that sometime!"

"Yeah, maybe I will, later. In any case, I need to go now, as I'm late enough as it is. See you soon!"

"Okay. See you!"

I ran off into the distance, waving to Mikoto as I went. What a strange girl! But she seemed nice enough.

…...

"You're late, Goodman…"

The class rep was quick to acknowledge my tardiness. No other word for it, really.

"Sorry." I said. "I got held up by one or two things."

"Well, it's a good thing you actually are here now, since we need you more than anyone to keep things going here today…"

"Ummm…How, exactly?" I shuddered to think.

"Well, as you know, the main draw of the quasi-maid café we're running throughout this festival is Miss Senou. However, as you also know, she's taking part in the Beauty Contest, so she's unavailable at the moment. That means we need someone else to pull in the customers for today."

"Wait- You don't mean…"

"That's right. While you're nowhere near Senou's level of popularity, the students have nonetheless taken a big shine to you ever since you transferred here. Plus, you're very attractive and you have the biggest boobs out of the entire class. Therefore, we think you're the best person to take Senou's place for today. But you're going to need an outfit that'll REALLY attract people to us! Ladies!"

Before I could say anything back, the class rep clicked her fingers, and the other students in the room crowded around me.

"H-hey, wait a seco- WOAH!"

The next thing I knew, I was out of my uniform and wearing a bright red maid outfit. Not just any maid outfit, though. This one also happened to have cat ears and a tail, as well as cat paw gloves. Now that I thought about it, didn't they make Akane wear this yesterday? Since she was taking part in the contest as well, the entire class forced both her and Natsuru to wear a lot of cosplay outfits in the hope of finding a suitable outfit for them for the contest. And by suitable, I mean sexy. Don't ask me, I have no idea how the minds of these girls work…

"Perfect! Nothing catches the eye like a kitty maid!" said the class rep, clearly pleased with herself. I had to admit, I thought the outfit was really adorable, but I could have got changed on my own… Just then, the treasurer shoved a small bottle in front of my face.

"Here. Spray some this on you and you'll be irresistible to all. It'll help when you're trying to attract business."

So what's in it? Catnip? Would be appropriate.

"So… how much is it?" I said, knowing that… whatever it was… wasn't going to be free. The treasurer tapped a few buttons into her calculator and showed it to me. There were quite a lot of zeroes.

"Uh, I think I'll pass."

"Alright, we'll leave it all to you, then. Good luck!" said the class rep, as she and the treasurer walked out of the classroom.

"Wait a second! Aren't you going to stay and manage things here?" I said.

"Of course not! We need to go to the contest and cheer Senou on! And Mishima too, I guess…"

With that, both the class rep and the treasurer left the room, leaving me to take charge of things in the café. This was going to be a disaster, I just knew it.

Surprisingly, it wasn't. Despite most people queuing up for the beauty contest, and the fact that Natsuru wasn't around (Even I had to admit she'd have attracted a lot of business…), a lot of customers nonetheless came to our café. A lot of people even seemed to like my cat maid outfit, which I appreciated, even though I had no say over wearing it. Eventually, it was the afternoon, and I was pretty sure the contest had just started. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on over there…

"Hey, Goodman!" called one of the other maids/students/whatever. "We got some more customers! Go over and greet them, would you?"

"Yeah, sure." I said, walking over to the door. I stopped and bowed to the customers.

"Welcome home mast- NYAAAHHHH!"

It was Mom and Dad! What were they doing here?

"Hi, sweetie." said Mom. "I left work early so your dad and I could come to the festival and see you. Hmmm, that's a cute outfit you're wearing. Did you make that yourself?"

"No, I was kind of forced to wear it. I really like it though, so I'll let it slide."

"It certainly suits you." said Dad. "Though it's a bit different to what everyone else is wearing…"

"Yeah. I'm supposed to be the big draw today, since the girl who's supposed to attract the customers is at the beauty contest at the moment. I don't really get any of it myself, but we still have a good amount of customers, so it seems to be working just fine! Oh yeah, do you know if the contest has started yet?"

"I think so." said Mom. "It was pretty crowded over there, so it's obviously proving popular. Is this Natsuru girl I've heard about really that popular?"

"Too popular if you ask me. The poor girl gets far more attention than she really wants. The only reason she's even in this contest is because she was forced into it. I feel kinda sorry for her." I said.

"But anyway, shall I show you to your seats? I'm not here to chat, sadly."

"Sure. Nice seeing you, in any case. Have fun for the rest of today, okay?" said Dad.

I showed Mom and Dad to their seats and left them to be served by one of the other maids. God, that felt a lot more awkward than I thought. I didn't think I'd be so embarrassed to be seen in this outfit by my parents, especially considering they've seen me cosplay plenty of times before. I must have been losing my touch… Or maybe it was just the fact I wasn't expecting to see them today, I don't know.

…...

It had been long and tiring, but the first day of the festival had finally come to an end. My parents asked me if I wanted to go home with them, but there was a lot of tidying up to do in class and I had to stay behind and help clean up, so I had to turn their offer down. After about half an hour's worth of cleaning up, I was finally able to go home. I quickly got changed into my normal uniform and headed towards the school gates. As I made my way across the school, I was shocked to see a small, yet familiar figure wandering around nearby. It was… Pierced Sea Turtle? I walked right over to her and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing here? You do realise that it's not normal for a plushie to be walking around in the open like this, right?" I yelled.

"If you must know, I was checking out that beauty contest with some of my pals. In case you're wondering, the student council president won. She totally beat the crap out of all the other contestants, and she was a total badass, too!"

"I wasn't wondering, actually. Now, do yourself a favour and get into my backpack before you attract any unwanted attention!"

"Oh yeah, get this!" Dammit, that stupid plushie just doesn't listen!

"Get what, exactly?"

"Well, during the contest, I was talking with another messenger, Harakiri Tiger. It turns out that he's Natsuru's messenger, and you won't believe what he- ACK!"

I quickly scooped Pierced Sea Turtle up and threw her in my backpack.

"Shhh! Someone's coming!"

Someone really was coming. A girl who was carrying a paper bag. It was Mikoto! Didn't think I'd run into her again so soon. She saw me and quickly waved, her face beaming.

"Heeeeey Tara! That's so weird, running into you again like this!"

"Uh… Hi, Mikoto. Yeah, I… guess it's a little weird. Um… Did you find Natsuru?"

"Nope. Couldn't find him either on the boy's side or the girl's side, or even at the contest. Oh well, never mind- I know exactly where I can find him! I'll just have to check his home!"

"So, how do you know Natsuru, exactly?"

"We're childhood friends. We lived next door to each for ages, and we played together all the time. I'm sure he'll be impressed when he sees what a beautiful girl I've become since we've been apart! Oh yeah, I want to ask you about something. Do you have any idea what this is?"

Mikoto reached into her bag and pulled out a plushie. It was a dog that had a rope around it's neck, with it's tongue sticking out and it's guts sticking out of it's stomach. I nearly gagged- not because of how gross it was, but because I knew exactly what it was- and exactly what it meant.

"W-where did you get that?" I asked.

"It was in this bouquet that that Kaede Sakura threw into the crowd during the contest. It looked kind of cool, but I have no idea what it is… Maybe I'm just imagining things, but I could have sworn it spoke to me as well! It was kind of faint, but I think I heard something!"

Oh, shit. SHIT! She's got an Entrails Animal, and it's talking to her! That means she's going to end up as a Kampfer, isn't she?" I needed to get that thing away from her, and fast!

"Um… Is it okay if I take that off your hands? You probably wouldn't have much need for something like that, right?"

"Nuh uh! This thing's way too cool for me to get rid of! It looks cool, and it talks too. No way I'm getting rid of it!"

At that point, I suppose I should have tried to wrestle away from her, but I didn't want to get on her bad side. Damn me and my politeness.

"And you're not freaked out by it speaking?"

"Nope. I've seen some pretty weird stuff on my travels, so this is nothing. I'll tell you more sometime, okay?"

"I'm… uh… looking forward to it. But still, that plu-"

"Sorry, but I need to go now. I still have to find Natsuru you know! Catch you tomorrow!"

Mikoto turned around and walked off before I got the chance to say anything else. Damn, that girl's too happy go lucky for her own good. All I could do now was worry about her…

"Looks like she's got a messenger now." said Pierced Sea Turtle from my backpack. "This is going to be awesome! A brand new Kampfer! I wonder what colour she'll be?"

"It's not going to be awesome." I said. "Now she's going to be dragged into this whole war too. Dammit, how many more people are going to get involved in all this? It isn't fair."

"Well, life isn't fair. That's just how it is. No one gets a say whether or not they become a Kampfer, so you just have to put up with it and fight when the opportunity arises."

I just stayed silent. Pierced Sea Turtle was right. I really did have to put up with it, at least for now. Nonetheless, I knew I had to keep my guard up tomorrow. If Mikoto really is going to become a Kampfer, there's no telling if she'll be friend or foe…

…...

The next morning came, and with it, the second day of the festival. The previous night, Pierced Sea Turtle kept trying to talk to me about what he learned from his fellow messengers while they were watching the contest, but I refused to listen. I had better things to do than listen to her constant jabbering, like finally making up my mind on joining the student council. After all, Shizuku wanted an answer tomorrow. In the end, I locked her in my cupboard to shut her up. Knowing that she'd keep on at me in the morning, I quickly washed and dressed before she had the chance to say anything. As a result, I was much earlier for school than I usually was. Since I was so early, I decided to see if I could find Shizuku and give her my answer. Sadly, I wasn't able to find her anywhere. Guess it was going to have to wait…

Obviously, since Natsuru wasn't taking part in any contests today, she had now been drafted into our "Quasi" maid café. And like me, she was made to wear a different uniform to the rest of the maids- one that was similar to the main uniforms, but a lot skimpier. Well, I couldn't deny that it would draw in the customers, but surely she could have worn something a little less revealing? She certainly didn't seem very comfortable wearing it… In the meantime, I was still wearing my kitty maid uniform, something I would have complained about if I didn't like wearing it so much. (What can I say, I have a fanatical catgirl obsession!) The morning was, as expected, very busy. In between greeting and serving customers, I helped prepare the teas a little as well. Eventually, while I was helping out with the teas, the class rep approached me with a request…

"Goodman, we have a special VIP coming to our café. As the other main draw to our café, we need you and Senou to greet her. Could you do that?"

"Okay, sure." I said. I made my way to the door, where Natsuru and several other maids were lining up. I joined the front with Natsuru as the VIP walked straight through.

"Welcome home, Madam." We all said, bowing.

"Raise your head." said a familiar voice.

As we rose I took a quick look at the VIP. Unsurprisingly, it was Shizuku!

"M-Madam President!" stuttered Natsuru. She seemed surprised to see her, for some reason. Did something happen between them?

"Just "Madam" is fine." said Shizuku, glancing over at Natsuru.

"W-why are you here?"

"I came here to greet my maid."

"She selected you as her maid." said the class rep to Natsuru while holding a wad of money. "As you can see, she already paid, so please serve her well."

"School life will be much more profitable from now on." said the treasurer.

Natsuru and Shizuku both sat down on the VIP seat that had been specifically prepared for them, and the rest of us returned to work. For the next hour or so, I kept looking over at the two to try and figure out what they were talking about. Sadly, it turned out to be a lost cause, as I also had to concentrate on serving the other customers as well, and I couldn't do that and concentrate on Natsuru and Shizuku at the same time. Which was a shame, since things got a lot more interesting when Kaede also showed up and sat down with the two. Just what the hell where they all talking about? I really wanted to know! Eventually, I had to go and help pour out the teas again, which kept me even further away from what was going on. That little task was cut short, however, when the class rep came up to me with another request.

"Ah, Goodman, glad you're here! The student council president has been asking for you!"

"Huh? I thought she was with Natsuru?"

"She just left with Sakura. So now the president wants you to be her maid. She paid us extra to request you, so we can't really refuse. Be a good girl and serve her, will you?"

I just nodded. I think I knew why she requested me, and I naturally had to talk to her anyway. I walked over to the VIP seat, where Shizuku was still sitting.

"G-good afternoon, Madam." I said.

"Good afternoon." Shizuku replied. "If you may, I'd like you to bring me a tea, please."

"Yes Madam, right away."

I went to grab a cup of tea and handed it to Shizuku.

"Thank you. Now, would you sit down with me? We have a lot to discuss."

I sat down on the seat next to her, feeling quite nervous.

"I like your outfit." she said. "It gives you a good sense of presence."

I blushed a little, but I really didn't feel like talking about that. I just wanted to get down to business.

"U-um.. I know you want an answer now. About me being on the student council?"

"I did give you until the end of the festival. Have you made up your mind now?"

"Yeah. I know what I want to do. I've given it a lot of thought, and… well… I've decided I'm going to turn down your offer."

"Oh?"

"The thing is… Megumi told me about Tamiko, and how you've been trying to find out why we're being made to fight. That's the main reason you wanted me on the student council in the first place isn't it? To help you find those answers?"

"Yes. I can't do this on my own, and I felt that you could be a big help to me."

"Look, don't get me wrong. I understand how you feel, and I want to help you find those answers. It's just something I want to do on my own terms, without being constantly being told what to do. I'm going to help you, but I don't need to be your lapdog to do so."

Shizuku looked slightly disappointed, and yet satisfied with my answer.

"I see. How very bold of you to say that. I suppose you've gotten even stronger than I thought. Very well, I'll accept your answer. And I'm glad you still wish to help me-"

Shizuku was interrupted by some voices coming from outside the room.

"W-wow! It's Takarashi-chan!"

"I can't believe it! One of the former Seitetsu beauties has really come back!"

"She's so beautiful! I wish she was my girlfriend!"

Hello, looks like Megumi decided to show up. She did say she was really popular when she was last here…

"Welcome home, Madam." said the maids at the door, as Megumi walked in. She bowed to them, and then looked ahead to Shizuku and I,

"Glad you could make it." said Shizuku. "Here, sit down with us."

"Don't mind if I do." said Megumi, before turning her attention to me.

"Awww, you look so cute! I could just pick you up and squeeze you!"

Megumi squeezed herself between Shizuku and I and gave me a big hug. One which was slightly suffocating me.

"Nggh! Uh, Megumi… Could you let go of me, please?"

"Ah, ha-ha, sorry. Got a little carried away there. The sight of you with cat ears and a tail, all while wearing a maid outfit is just too irresistible!"

Megumi got up and sat back down next to Shizuku.

"So, how are you enjoying the festival so far, Megumi?" Shizuku asked Megumi.

"I'm having a great time so far. Congratulations on winning the beauty contest yesterday, by the way. I really wish I could have seen it!"

"Thank you. It wasn't difficult, as I was the only one taking it seriously. Everyone else was making too much of a scene."

Jesus, just what happened at that contest?

"So, Tara. Are you going to join the student council? Or are you still making up your mind?" said Megumi.

"No, I decided not to join in the end. I still want to help find answers to why we're fighting, but I feel I can do it without taking orders."

"Somehow, I knew you'd say that. I'm proud of you for standing your ground!" said Megumi. I just smiled at her. At that moment, however, I immediately felt that sensation again… Looking down at my bracelet, I saw it glowing. Not just mine, either- both Shizuku's and Megumi's bracelets were also glowing! I knew this was coming!

"Well, I suppose that's our cue." said Shizuku. "That new Kampfer has just arrived, as I expected."

"You knew about that too?" I asked her.

"I've been feeling it since this morning." she replied. "Looks like you have, too."

"Not exactly." I said. "I'll explain later. Let's go!"

…...

"So, you say this Mikoto girl found a messenger in Sakura's bouquet?" asked Shizuku as we all rushed towards the spot where we could feel the new Kampfer.

"Yeah. She even said she could hear a voice coming from it. I tried to get her to give it to me, but she wanted to keep it. Dammit, if only I'd been more assertive…"

"Well, there's no point in beating yourself up over it." said Megumi. "Either way, it's too bad someone else has been dragged into all this…"

I had to agree. Was there any way of putting an end to all this? And why on earth didn't I take off my paw gloves before I transformed? It's damn hard to carry a sword with these things on…

"Over there!" I said. "I see something! And it looks like a battle!"

We stopped by a big open area, and there was indeed a fight going on. I could see Natsuru, who was still in her maid outfit, and that Gewehr type I seemed to keep running into. Looks like she wanted a piece of the action too. Right by them, was the new Kampfer. She was wearing a uniform more or less the same as the ones normally worn at the school, only in black. The sleeves were short, showing off a navy blue top covering the lower halves of her arms. She also had whitish blond hair, and a long katana. A Schwert type, then. Since she was fighting Natsuru and the other Kampfer, I was guessing she had a red bracelet, though I couldn't see it.

"So, what now? Do we fight the blues?" said Megumi.

"No." said Shizuku. "Megumi, stay here. Tara, you make a move against the new Kampfer, and I'll back you up once I find an opening. Understand?"

I nodded. No real time to argue, after all. Still struggling to hold on to my sword, I ran straight into the fight and struck at the new Kampfer. She quickly anticipated and blocked my attack, and we locked weapons.

"A red Kampfer…" said the girl, noticing my bracelet. "Aren't you supposed to be my ally?"

"Sorry." I said. "Not my choice right now."

As we continued to lock weapons, Natsuru and the other blue Kampfer watched on, not particularly sure what was going on. Eventually, the lock broke, and we both slid away from each other. Gripping my sword as best I could, I rushed towards her again. She prepared her sword, but as I reached her, I didn't attack. Instead, I jumped right over her. While she was distracted, a chain lunged forwards and wrapped itself around her katana, then pulled it away from her. Looks like Shizuku made her move.

"Huh? W-what?" said the new girl, as Shizuku came out from the shadows. "Madam President?"

Silently, Shizuku rolled back her sleeve to reveal her bracelet. The new Kampfer was now even more confused.

"Why are you guys attacking me?" she said. "We're supposed to be on the same side!"

At that point, I grabbed one of her arms. Then, Megumi dashed out from the trees and grabbed her other arm. We had the newbie down for the count!

"Everyone. Transform back." said Shizuku, turning to Natsuru and the Gewehr type. "That goes for you two, as well."

"Damn. Fuck you, you snobby ass bitch!" said the red haired Kampfer as Natsuru looked at her bracelet.

"Umm, how do I turn back…"

With that, the Gewehr user glowed and transformed back into her normal form.

"My glasses… Where are they?" she said.

"On top of your head…" I said blankly. Then her identity suddenly hit me.

"A AKANE? NO WAY! YOU'RE THAT PSYCHOTIC, GUN TOTING BITCH? HOW…"

As you may have guessed, I was pretty shocked to discover that my best friend in Japan was the same Kampfer who nearly killed me all that time ago. The new Kampfer was also quite surprised to see her.

"Wait… Tara? You're a Kampfer too?" said Akane, quickly figuring out who I was.

"Yeah. It's me…" I said, changing back into my normal form, as did Megumi. All this was certainly a bit of a shock to me. But that was nothing compared to what happened next…

"Turn back!" said Natsuru, desperately trying to get her bracelet to activate, which it soon did. Her body was enveloped in a soft glow, and as it faded…

"OH. MY. FUCKING. GOD. I knew it! I knew it all along!" I said.

"Well well, this is certainly unexpected…" said Megumi.

"N-Natsuru?" said the new Kampfer.

Before us, still wearing the maid uniform, was Natsuru. The male Natsuru. I really was right all along. Both Natsurus really were one and the same. Even so, my jaw dropped. Was this what Pierced Sea Turtle was trying to tell me last night?

"My bad." said Natsuru, weakly.

The new girl twitched a few times, then fainted. As she did, she changed back to her normal from. Yup, as I guessed, it was Mikoto. What a surprise. Megumi and I dropped her, as she no longer needed to be restrained.

"Kondou-san!" said Akane.

"Natsuru…" Mikoto said, still in a daze…

Wow. What a mess…

…...

"I see. So this was hidden in Kaede's bouquet, just as Tara said." said Shizuku, looking at the dog plushie that was on the table.

Once the dust had settled following the fight, we regrouped in one of the empty rooms to talk things over. Mikoto was sitting down, while the rest of us were standing up. Also on the table ware Natsuru and Akane's messengers, Harakiri Tiger and Seppeku Bunny. Also, both Natsuru and I had changed back into our regular school uniforms- just as well, as a maid uniform wasn't really the best attire for a guy to wear.

"Nice to meet you." said Mikoto's messenger. "I'm Choking Stray Dog."

"You have a wonderful voice like Mamiko Noto's." said Akane, gushing slightly.

"It's so soothing." said Harakiri Tiger.

"Choking… You're so cute, Choking." said Seppeku Bunny.

"She's given me a brief explanation of what's going on, but I never expected Akane-chan and Natsuru to be Kampfer as well- or Tara, for that matter." said Mikoto, before turning to Natsuru.

"By the way, just what kind of tastes do you have?"

"It's not a matter of preference!" said Natsuru. He had a point. It's not like he asked for this.

"Becoming a girl, dressing up as a maid, and being a lesbian on top of that… There's a limit to how much of a pervert you can be."

"I wasn't going for that!"

"So that explains why female Natsuru has such a huge rack. You suck."

"Does that means he fails as a human being?" asked Choking Stray Dog, as Natsuru drooped.

"How can I explain this to you?" he said.

"I don't really think you need to." said Megumi. "You're the same as us, really. You've been forced into this whole thing with no say in the matter whatsoever, and everything that's happened to you has been out of your control. I think Mikoto will understand that eventually."

"Yeah, I guess so." said Natsuru.

While all this was going on, Shizuku's messenger, Electrocuted Lynx, who was holding on to Shizuku's shoulder, was chuckling.

"Let's just say we all know what's going on with the situation." she said.

"We'll all agree to a truce for the time being." said Shizuku. Wow, that was out of the blue…

"But I thought Red and Blue had to fight each other" said Mikoto.

"There's something I want to find out." said Shizuku.

"And what would that be?" said Natsuru.

"Something important." I said. "You'll find out soon enough."

I wasn't sure why I didn't tell them there and then what Shizuku was trying to do, but I felt that she didn't want them to know just yet for some reason. She really needed to open up a bit more.

"Anyway, haven't you forgotten something important?" Shizuku said to Natsuru. "Kaede's been searching for you this whole time."

"Oh crap!" yelled Natsuru. He quickly ran out of the room as if his life depended on it.

"Well, I guess that's all for now." said Shizuku. "Unless there are any questions?"

I raised my hand.

"I have one. You knew all along, didn't you? That Akane was a Kampfer, and that both Natsurus were the same person. Why didn't you tell me?"

"In all fairness, I didn't tell Megumi, either. I felt it would be better if you didn't know. That way, I could see your reactions when you found out the truth."

"You can be a real bitch sometimes, you know that?" I said, sighing.

"I try my best. Anyone else have anything to say?"

We all stayed silent.

"Very well, then I'll be on my way. Let's all try to get along, shall we?"

Shizuku walked out with Electrocuted Lynx still on her shoulder, leaving just me, Megumi, Akane and Mikoto in the room.

"U-um… Tara…" said Akane. "I'm… really sorry for attacking you both those times. It's just that… well…"

"Your personality changes when you transform? Yeah, I heard that can happen sometimes. I just still can't believe that you're a Kampfer too. It's still pretty hard to swallow the fact hat we tried to kill each other a few weeks back without realising it."

"I know. But still, now that we've agreed to a truce, there shouldn't be any problems. At least for now."

"Geez, you guys are seriously retarded." said Seppeku Bunny, chuckling at the two of us.

"Yup, I can understand Tara not recognising Akane, since she changes so much when she transforms, but Akane must be so dumb not to recognise Tara! What an idiot!" said Harakiri Tiger.

That instance, both plushies found themselves knocked off the table by a pair of flying books thrown by Akane and myself in anger. Suddenly, I felt a lot better. I'm sure Akane felt the same way, too.

"I'm gonna go too." said Mikoto, standing up and picking up Choking Stray Dog. "Guess I'll catch you guys later!"

"Yeah, sure. See you later!" I said, as Mikoto walked out of the door. As I turned my head, I saw Akane picking up Seppeku Bunny and Harakiri Tiger, and preparing to leave as well.

"You're going too?" I asked.

"Yeah. There's no real reason to stay here. I'll see you tomorrow in class, okay?"

"Sure. See you tomorrow!" I said, as Akane left with the two unconscious plushies. That just left me and Megumi.

"Looks like things just got more interesting, eh?" said Megumi.

"I don't think "interesting" is quite the word. It's been one hell of a day."

"I know. Um… Hey… Tara?"

All of a sudden, Megumi's face went a little… shy? She's never had that look before.

"Mmm? Is something up?"

"Well… There's something I want to tell you. Something I've been wanting to tell you for a while."

"What is it? Is it about this war? About Shizuku? About you? What?"

"Actually, it's nothing hugely important. But.. I want to tell you…"

Megumi took my hands and looked me in the eye for a few seconds, but then dropped them.

"Actually… No, it's nothing. Um… I really need to go now, too. I'll, uh, see you later?"

Megumi quickly walked out of the room, leaving me wondering what the hell she was talking about. Well, whatever. So much crazy shit had happened today, I really wasn't in the mood to think about it. I decided to go home too.

At least I couldn't say my first ever Cultural Festival wasn't eventful.


	10. Chapter 10: The White Kampfer

**Chapter 10, and things now start to get serious. This chapter takes place during the events of episode 7 of the anime, and sees the introduction of the white Kampfers. However, as you'll see, they're the last thing Tara's worried about at the moment… **

**The first scene is probably the raunchiest I've ever written in my life! As for the last scene, I actually welled up a little as I wrote it, so I hope it's effective. This has been my favourite chapter to date, I think. I'm quite proud with how it turned out.**

**Oh, and in case you're wondering, SST stands for Sega Sound Team. They made a lot of rock covers of classic Sega arcade game music, and they were very good. I listened to a radio show dedicated to their music, and listened to their version of After Burner, which I felt would make a great workout song. Hence, why Tara listens to it at the start of the chapter.**

**As ever, please read and review! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kampfer.**

Chapter ten- The White Kampfer

It was a pleasant afternoon in the park, and all was peaceful and calm. Except, that was, for the battle that was taking place between Megumi and myself. We'd spent much of the afternoon sparring, with the hope of improving our techniques, and maybe learn some new ones. While nothing really came of that, I still felt that we made some progress with our training. At this point, we were clashing swords with one another, since we decided that Megumi should try and work on her close range combat skills. I was listening to the SST Band version of After Burner (from the video game of the same name, of course!) on my MP3 player while we were training, as that always got me in the mood to kick some serious butt! Eventually, we stopped attacking each other for a moment and stood back.

"Your control over your weapon has gotten even better since you gained more confidence. I'm so proud of you!" said Megumi, who was panting pretty heavily.

"Thanks." I said, turning down the volume on my MP3 player so I could actually hear her.. "But I think there's still room for improvement. Wanna we go one more round?"

"You know I'm always good for it." said Megumi, clutching hard onto her icy sword.

We both charged towards each other and clashed again. We kept striking and guarding against each other until I finally found an opening in Megumi's defence. I ducked underneath her next blow, then struck at her sword, knocking it out of her hand and into the air. As it descended, I caught it by the handle, thus giving me another sword to use in this fight! Or so I thought.

"Ow! Damn, that's cold!" I yelled, dropping both swords. Of course, I'd forgotten that Megumi's sword was still made of ice. And ice is well known for being rather cold. Megumi couldn't help but chuckle at my misfortune.

"Ha-ha, I have to admit, that was a clever move. But you didn't think it fully through, did you? Oh well, never mind. Against anyone else, that would have been really smart. Want to call it a day?"

"I guess so, yeah."

I'd only just realised how hot I was after all that. Megumi reverted back to her normal state and walked towards the large tree that was close by. I turned off my MP3 player, then followed her and sat down beside her in the shade.

"Hmmm. You still haven't figured out how to transform back yet?" said Megumi, who noticed I was still in my Kampfer form.

"What? No, not yet. It's so annoying…"

"Hold on, let me do something about that."

Megumi touched her bracelet and closed her eyes. I then saw my bracelet glowing, followed by a quick flash. Looking at my hair, I realised that I was back in my normal form!

"Y-you changed me back? How?"

"That's one of the perks of being able to control your transformation. With enough practice, and if you really concentrate hard enough, you can force another Kampfer to transform as well. Pretty neat, huh?"

"Wow, that's awesome. Wonder if I'll be able to do that someday?"

"Well, you should just concentrate on being able to transform by yourself first. Don't worry about the fancy stuff right now, OK?"

"Yeah, okay. It'd still be cool to do stuff like that though."

Megumi laughed. I fell silent for a brief moment, but all that was doing was making me remember just how hot I was at the moment. I decided to undo a few buttons on my blouse to cool myself down a little.

"Say, Tara? Do you… ever regret moving to Japan? I mean, if you hadn't, you wouldn't have become a Kampfer, and you would have been happy…"

"Whoever said I wasn't happy here? No, I don't regret moving here. I just regret picking up that stupid plushie!" I said, smiling. "In all honesty, if it hadn't happened to me, it would have happened to someone else. I don't think it would have made any real difference. It just would have been someone else suffering instead of me."

"I guess so. Actually, there's something else I'm curious about. Where you particularly popular back at school back home? Even though you're really beautiful, you're also really smart, and I heard that the smart ones are the ones who get picked on the most…"

"I guess I was pretty popular. No one ever picked on me, and I had plenty of friends. Guess I got lucky."

"I'll say. You must have been asked out all the time. I'll bet you had tons of boyfriends over there!"

"Not really. I was asked out a lot, but I was never really interested in dating. I preferred just being friends with boys, rather than going out with them. I always felt I was just waiting for the right person to come along."

I glanced over at Megumi while I was talking. I saw that she was starting to cool down a bit, as indeed was I. I decided to stand up for a little while, since I realised that my legs were starting to feel somewhat gummy.

"You know…" said Megumi, who also decided to stand up. "Maybe you already found the right person, but you just haven't realised it yet. Is there no one here who really gets your heart racing? Maybe you should give it some thought."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I said. As far as I was concerned, the only boy in this country I really knew was Natsuru, but I wasn't in love with him. Was I? Megumi moved towards me.

"It means, honey, that there's already someone here who's in love with you. If you really stop to think about it, you'll figure it out."

That confused me. Like I said, Natsuru was the only guy I really knew in Japan, but he was far too infatuated with Kaede to pay any real attention to any other girl. So that ruled him out. Who else could possibly be in love with me? But then, someone else came to mind. And it wasn't who I was expecting. Someone who had dropped plenty of hints about being in love with me ever since we first met…

"Megumi? You mean…"

Megumi looked deep into my eyes and put her hands together.. Why didn't I notice this earlier?

"Yes. Tara… I love you. And… I know you love me too."

My heart was starting to beat faster.

"I- I don't know. I mean you're the most beautiful girl I've ever met, but I don't think I feel the same way about you that you do about me…"

"You sure about that?" asked Megumi. She moved back a few paces and then reached for the zip on the back of her dress and unzipped it. My god, was she about to do what I thought she was about to do? She was- as soon as she was finished with the zip, she gripped the front of her dress and very slowly start to lower it. I could only watch with my mouth wide open as her cleavage got longer and longer, exposing more of her enormous breasts with each passing second. Now my heart was really starting to pound away. After what seemed like an eternity, Megumi dropped her dress on the floor, fully exposing her stunning figure. Well, maybe not fully- she was still wearing her leggings, as well as a pair of sexy, frilly panties, plus her pigtails were draped across her breasts, covering what little modesty she had left. I had to admit, her body was amazing. I couldn't take my eyes off of her…

"I think I rest my case." purred Megumi, walking right next to me and undoing the remaining buttons on my blouse. She threw it off, revealing my own boobs. I knew what she was about to do, but I didn't resist. I didn't want to. I realised there and then that I really was in love with her. I just wanted her in my arms… At that point, I dropped the straps on my bra, and Megumi then put her arms around me. I put mine around her, too.

"Wow, you've gone up a size, haven't you?"

"Yeah. I'm a double F cup now. I think they must have grown over the last month or so…"

Megumi giggled.

"Carry on like this, and you'll be as big as me someday! Here, let me help get rid of that unwanted baggage…"

No sooner had Megumi stopped talking, she reached over to the back of my bra and undid it. As she put her arms back around me again, my bra dropped onto the grass. My own bare breasts felt wonderful pressed against Megumi's, and I instantly felt an incredible rush of passion. I'd never felt so warm in my entire life. I looked up at Megumi's beautiful, loving eyes, and the sexy purple eyeshadow she was wearing, and all I could think about was how much I wanted her. She clearly felt the same way about me, as she was edging her lips towards mine. I moved my lips towards hers as well. Our lips moved closer, and closer, and then I woke up.

…...

Finding myself back in my bedroom, I immediately sat up. Holy shit, what was that? I'd never had a dream like that before. But that was all it was- a dream, right? Dreams don't mean jack shit. They have no real meaning- do they? The rim of my nose was feeling itchy, so I gave it a light rub with my index finger. But as I brought my finger back into view, I saw blood on it! Wait a second, how-? I looked at my pillow, and I saw a small puddle of blood where my nose had been resting. Oh fuck, that dream gave me a nosebleed! I was starting to panic a little now. I had a passionate dream about Megumi. If I hadn't woken up when I did, it probably would've become a scene straight out of a hentai game! I then realised- that's what Megumi was trying to tell me after the festival. She was trying to confess her love to me! All this time, I thought she was just teasing. And now, I realised I was starting to fall in love with her, too! Was I going crazy? I'd never had a boyfriend in my life, and I'd never shown any romantic interest in them, but I never questioned my sexuality before. I always knew that I was straight. But now… I felt so confused. I just didn't know what to think, or what to do. I really needed to think things through. And, as much as it pained me to consider it, I needed to take my mind off Megumi for a while.

I turned my pillow over to hide the small bloodstain, then set about getting ready. There was no school today, so I could afford to take my time. As I showered, I tried desperately to erase that dream from my head by thinking about my favourite music tracks, and about the video games I was currently playing. It seemed to be working, as I was starting to calm down a little. As soon as I was dressed, I went downstairs to kiss my dad good morning, and to have breakfast. Mom had already left for work, it seemed. After breakfast, I decided to do some homework in the hope that it would help me forget about that dream even further. However, there wasn't much to be done, so that didn't keep me occupied for very long. Damn, I needed something else to focus my mind on. I decided to play some more Solitaire. Still wasn't winning many games at it though, sometimes I wondered why I even bothered playing it. But then, it's just so addictive… Eventually, I was so caught up in it that I'd almost forgotten why I was so on edge earlier today. Success! I felt so much better now! Just then, I heard a knock at the door, which was answered by Dad.

"Tara!" he called. "Your friend Megumi's here to see you!"

Oh, shit! That's the last thing I needed! Just when I was starting to forget about that stupid dream… I really didn't want to even see her until I'd got any weird thoughts about being in love with her out of my head. But still, I couldn't just tell Dad to say that to her…

"Okay! I'm on my way down!"

I went downstairs to the door, where Dad and Megumi were. Dad walked away, knowing that I could take things from here.

"Hi. How's things?" asked Megumi. Upon seeing her, all thoughts of that dream came back, and my heart started to beat faster. Dammit, get out of my head! I don't have those kinds of feelings for her! She's just a friend! Nothing more!

"U-um… Okay, I guess…" I said, trying to get a grip on myself. "Is something up?"

"Yes, there is. You probably heard a few days ago that Natsuru was invited to spend tonight with Sakura, right?"

I just nodded, still trying desperately to get rid of the perverted thoughts in my head. Please! I'm not in love with her! I'm not!

"Well, I just heard from Shizuku that she intends to go there as well. She didn't say much, but she did say there was something there she wanted to check out. Most likely something to do with the connection between Sakura's love of those Entrails Animals and the fact that she keeps giving them to people who become Kampfers shortly afterwards. She said that there could be some clues about this war there. Akane's already in, and I was told to ask you if you're in as well."

"You're not going? What about Mikoto?"

"No, I'm kind of busy tonight. And we couldn't get hold of Mikoto- no idea where she is at the moment… What about you? Are you going to go?"

I thought about it for a moment. Kaede was most certainly the biggest link to this whole thing, but, as Megumi said earlier, we needed to find evidence before we challenged her about it…

"Hmmm. I did say I'd help Shizuku find the truth about our battles. But I think that four of us turning up to Kaede's place uninvited is a bit much. Nah, I won't bother. I'd like to know how it went though, so can you ask Shizuku to call me tomorrow morning about it?"

"I don't know, she could always tell me, and I could then pass that information to you!"

"No, it's okay. It'd be less hassle if she called me herself. Anyway, thanks for telling me. See you later!"

I tried to close the door, but Megumi stopped me by continuing to talk. Please Megumi, leave me alone! I can't bear to face you right now!

"Whoa there, Speedy! I wasn't done talking yet! I was wondering if we could hang out today. I know some nice places we can go to!"

Oh, god, no! How am I supposed to stop thinking about her if she's constantly by my side?

"Sorry, but I've got a lot of stuff to do today. I need to clean my room, do my homework, do the washing, that sort of stuff. I can't really afford to go out today. Sorry about that…" I said, as nicely as possible.

"Oh. I see. Oh well, that's okay. I guess I'll see you later, then?"

"Uh, yeah. Sure…"

Megumi turned around and left. Finally! I really hated to push her away like that, but I didn't know what else to do. I was so confused regarding my feelings towards her right now that I couldn't even look at her until I was able to get my mind straight. Great, now I was going to have to try and forget about her all over again…

I spent the next few hours cleaning my room. Dad normally did it, but I insisted this time. After all, it would probably help clear my head a little. Eventually, I got everything looking spotless, and started thinking about what else I could do. Then I noticed Laura's letter from right before the Cultural Festival, and I suddenly realised that I hadn't written back to her! Damn, I knew there was something I forgot to do! So, I set about writing a reply.

…...

**Hi Laura.**

**Sorry I didn't reply back sooner, I've been pretty busy over the last few weeks. It's been really hectic. **

**Since you asked, I'm pretty sure I've gotten enrolled in a school that's one half sexually frustrated boys, and one half lesbians. I personally blame the fact that they're separated. It's something of a madhouse there, especially with the Cultural Festival going on. That went pretty well, by the way. I was forced into wearing a catgirl maid outfit on both days, though it was really cute, so I wasn't complaining too badly. I didn't go to the beauty contest in the end, as it really wasn't my thing, but I do know it was won by the student council president. Which reminds me, actually-I forgot to tell you this in my last letter, but I was offered a place on the student council myself! I turned it down, though. I felt it was more responsibility than I could handle. **

**Oh, yes! I almost forgot something else as well! I'm coming home in a few weeks! It'll only be for a week, but since it's the summer holidays where I am soon, Mom thought that would be the best time to go. Can't wait to see everyone again! **

**Anyway, I'm enclosing some photos that were taken during the festival, so I hope you enjoy them! **

**See you soon!**

**Love,**

**Tara**

…**...**

I really had almost forgotten about the fact that I was going home for a week during the summer holidays. I was so caught up in worrying about my sexuality today that it slipped my mind. Maybe that would help put my mind at ease… Re-reading my letter, I realised that my reason for not joining the student council that I wrote was a lie. Mainly because the real reason involved the whole Kampfer thing, which, of course, I couldn't tell Laura about. I took out the photos that were taken during the festival and took a look through them. I noticed that one of them was of me with Shizuku and Megumi. That one must have been taken just as we left to confront Mikoto… looking at it was starting to make me think of Megumi and that dream again, however, so I quickly put it randomly among the other photos and wrapped my letter around them. After placing them in an envelope, I then addressed it to Laura and put a stamp on it. I looked at the time. 15:47. Just enough time to get this to the post office and have it sent off. And so, I headed out of the front door.

"Hey Dad, I'm just heading out to the post office to send a letter to Laura. I'll be back soon!" I called out.

"Okay. Just make sure you're home in time for dinner!" said Dad. Unlikely I won't, it won't take me that long…

…...

I spent some considerable time queuing up at the post office, but I finally managed to get the letter sent off. As I left, the sun was setting. Wow, can't believe it took me that long to get things sorted. I decided to hurry home, just in case Dad was preparing dinner. Sadly, despite my best efforts, I still couldn't take my mind off that dream. What disturbed me about it more than anything was how warm it felt. It was no nightmare- in fact, it was the most pleasant dream I'd ever had. How could I possibly feel that way about another girl? I'm not a lesbian… Right? I should prefer dating boys. And yet… Every time I thought of Megumi since that dream… I could only think about being in her arms, looking at those gorgeous eyes, and how happy it made me. Maybe I should talk to my parents about it. But what would they think if I told them I thought I was gay? They always came across as pretty cool with that kind of stuff, but then again, they've never had their own daughter tell them she may feel that way… I was at a serious loss. I badly needed to get my act together. Then, something else hit me- it's normally at times like this when I'm thinking about serious issues in my life when I'm normally attacked by an enemy Kampfer. But we all had an agreement not to attack each other anymore, so that wasn't likely to happen at this moment.

How wrong I was.

No sooner had I told myself I wouldn't be attacked, I sensed something coming right behind me. I quickly dodged to one side, and a mysterious figure rushed straight past- barely missing me. She came to a stop close by, and turned to face me. I immediately noticed her blonde hair that was almost the same length as mine, just above her hips. In her hand, she was carrying a rapier- she was most definitely a Kampfer! I then realised something else- I hadn't transformed yet! What's going on now? I looked down at my bracelet. It wasn't glowing. Why not? It was clear I was about to fight, so why hadn't I transformed? Before I could think any further, my opponent dashed straight towards me and struck at me, knocking me over. This was definitely bad…

"How useless." my new assailant said. "You haven't even bothered to transform. This'll be easier than I thought… I'm disappointed."

Hey, it's not like I don't want to transform here! Clutching my chest, I got back up again. As I did, I caught a glimpse of the girl's bracelet. It was a different colour than I was expecting- instead of the usual red or blue colour, it was white! That couldn't be right- there were only supposed to be two Kampfer colours in this war! So how come there's a new one? I needed some info, fast!

"Just who are you? What's with the white bracelet?"

"My name is Sayaka. I am a white Kampfer. There's no need to tell you any more than that, as you're going to die right here and now!"

Sayaka quickly lunged at me, but I dodged her attack. Without thinking, I retaliated with a quick punch to the face- not much else I could do until my bracelet finally decided to transform me… But how long could I hold on? Unfortunately, that punch didn't seem to do much good, as Sayaka launched another attack at me. I just about managed to avoid that one, but I felt a lot slower than normal. If this kept up… Nonetheless, I clenched my fists and adopted a fighting pose. Regardless of whether or not I was in my Kampfer form, I wasn't going to run away. I was going to fight, no matter how hopeless my chances were.

"You have guts, fighting me in your normal form. But it won't do you any good- unless you transform, you're just hitting a tank with a dishcloth. You may as well give up and accept death immediately."

She was right. I had to transform if I was going to stay alive here. But it was becoming increasingly obvious that if that was going to happen, I'd need to do it on my own. But I'd need to concentrate, and I didn't think Sayaka would give me a chance to do that. I had to buy myself some time! But how? Think! Wait a moment- that's it! I knew I couldn't reason with her, but maybe I could press her for more information about these white Kampfers. And while she's busy talking…

"Fine. I give up." I said. "But you may as well tell what the big deal is about that white bracelet before I die. You do know it's supposed to be red and blue only, right?"

"The rules have changed." replied Sayaka. "The red and blue Kampfers are supposed to fight each other, but now you've all agreed to a truce. That's something the Moderators simply won't tolerate. As a white Kampfer, it is my duty to punish those who refuse to fight. Also, You and your friends are asking too many questions about why you're fighting. Therefore, it is also my duty to silence you before you get too close to the truth."

While Sayaka was talking, I was concentrating hard. I was still paying attention to what she was saying, but most of my efforts were put towards making my bracelet work. Come on, concentrate harder!

"So, I take it I'm not the only target here, then?"

"Of course not! Another few of us should be finishing off that big breasted Gothic Lolita girl as we speak, and another one of us will soon be making a move against your other friends. Are you really stupid enough to think you're the only one we're attacking? Idiot!"

So the others were in danger too. I had a feeling that they'd somehow be alright though. As for me, I was still putting everything I had into concentrating on my bracelet.

"How typical." I said. "Just because I'm blond and well endowed, people like you seem to think I'm stupid. A bimbo, even. Well, let me tell you… I'm nowhere near as dumb as I look!"

As I said that, I lifted up my bracelet, which was now starting to glow. The glow surrounded me, and when it faded, I stood there with my sword in hand, in my Kampfer form. I'd finally done it. I managed to transform on my own.

"So you finally decided to transform. What took you so long?"

"To be honest with you, this is the first time I've ever done it myself. Until now, it just happened when there was an enemy nearby, but for some reason, it didn't happen when you showed up. So I had no choice but to try and activate my power on my own. Why did you think I was keeping you talking? I needed to buy myself some time to concentrate. So, who's the idiot now?"

"Grrr… That won't save you. I'm still going to finish you off right here!"

Sayaka jumped into the air to launch a new attack, but I was ready, and I swung my sword just as she was about to strike. Both our attacks hit at the same time, and I managed to knock Sayaka back a little. As soon as she landed, she stabbed her rapier at me again, but I countered the blow. We clashed swords for a short while, and it was becoming clear that we were evenly matched. In a way, I was quite surprised. I'd have thought Sayaka would have been a lot stronger than this- after all, she was supposed to fight those who refused to take part in this war, right? Then surely she should have been much stronger than your average Kampfer. And yet, I was more than holding my own against her. Another lunge from Sayaka followed, which I avoided by dropping onto the floor. While I was down, I swept my leg around, knocking my enemy over. I got back up as she did, but got up faster- leaving me with just enough time to plant the blade of my sword into the ground. Still holding on to the handle, I swung around it, hitting Sayaka in the chest as she got up again. As my feet touched the ground again, I pulled my sword out of the ground and prepared myself for another attack. However, Sayaka didn't look like in peak shape…

"That really all you got? Some Kampfer you are!" I said.

"Ugh… I'm just getting warmed up." said Sayaka, pulling herself up. She looked like she was still hurting, but it was obvious that she wasn't about to give up anytime soon. It probably would have been wise not to let my guard down- I still didn't know what she was fully capable of. Suddenly, from fairly high up, a trio of icicles were fired at her. That could only mean one thing- Megumi was here! Sayaka jumped back to avoid the icicles, and looked up.

"I hope you mean it when you say you're only getting warmed up. Because now you'll have to fight two of us!" said Megumi from above the trees. She jumped down from her perch and landed right next to me. Ordinarily I would have been happy to see her, but right now, I was starting to get those weird feelings of love again. There was no way I could think straight when I was right next to the person who I feared I was in love with…

"Wha? How did you beat Hitomi and Ryoka?" said Sayaka, clearly surprised to see Megumi.

"Quite easily, actually. They weren't as strong as they looked. Judging by the look of you, I don't think you are, either!"

"Crap… I'm in no condition to fight two of you… Just don't go thinking you've won. We're just getting started!"

Sayaka jumped away into the distance, quickly making her escape. Just as well, really- with Megumi around, I probably wouldn't have been able to concentrate on fighting much longer.

"You okay?" asked Megumi. I could only nod. I just wanted to get away from her as soon as possible. I didn't want to, but the more I looked at her, the more I wondered if I really was in love with her. I was confused enough as it was, and this was only making things worse.

"This is bad." she continued. "It looks like the Moderators have started to make their move against us. I was attacked by another two of those white Kampfers, but I was able to beat them. But I think they're only just getting used to their abilities- they're almost certain to become stronger over time."

She transformed back into her normal form and took out her cell phone. As she was using it, I held out my bracelet and concentrated. If I really did transform on my own, then I should be able to transform back, as well. A few seconds later, I found myself back to normal! Yes! This proved it! I really could control my powers now!

"No answer. I guess Shizuku and the others are busy right now. I just hope they're being careful at Sakura's place right now…"

Megumi looked over at me and saw that I had changed back.

"Wow! You changed back on your own! That's wonderful! Congratulations, Tara! I'm so proud of you, honey!"

She walked over to me and gave me a big hug. Suddenly, I was brought back to that dream, and the amazing warmth that it gave me. No! I-I'm not like that! I can't be! I swear to God, I'm not in love with her!

"N-NO! Get off me!"

Without thinking, I pushed Megumi back, hard. She stumbled back a few paces, with a look of surprise on her face.

"Tara? Are you feeling alright? You've been acting really strange today. Is something wrong?"

I didn't know what to say. I knew she was in love with me, and I knew I was starting to feel the same way about her. By this point, I was really starting to freak out. So much so, that the next thing I said came out without thinking, even though I was most likely to regret it.

"Just… GO AWAY! I don't want to see you right now!"

"T-Tara… You don't… surely mean that… Do you?"

I could see some tears forming in her eyes.

"Please, Megumi. Leave me alone." I said, feeling tears in my eyes as well. "Just… stay the hell away from me!"

"Tara…"

With that, Megumi covered her mouth and started to cry. Knowing I was about to do the same, I turned around and ran off. As I charged down the neighbourhood, I could feel my tears streaming down my cheeks. I'm so sorry, Megumi. You were the first person who really made me feel better about myself when I became a Kampfer. You helped me find the courage to fight, and overcome my fears. You gave me so much hope. And that was how I repaid you. By pushing you aside. By telling you to keep away from me. I didn't know what to think any more. It probably didn't matter any more, anyway. I really hurt her feelings back there… She probably hated me now, after what I just said. I probably would have felt the same way, if I was her. I really blew it. Badly. Right now, the whole matter of the white Kampfers was the last thing on my mind. All I could think of were my feelings towards Megumi. So many thoughts were swimming through my head that in the end, I collapsed on my knees and cried harder.

Megumi… Was I really in love with her?


	11. Chapter 11: An Enemy's Support

**This has to be the shortest amount of time it's taken me to write up a chapter in this fanfic- it normally takes me at least a week to finish a chapter, two at most. But this chapter only took five days- four if you count the fact I didn't write anything on Friday. I pretty much wanted to get this chapter out of the way, as it's not particularly exciting, especially when compared to the last one. **

**Anyway, this chapter mostly takes place during the events of episode 8 of the anime, and sees Tara spending some quality time with Akane, while still fretting over Megumi. Like I said, it's not the most action packed chapter, and I feel a lot of it was rushed, as I couldn't quite figure out the best way of explaining certain parts of it. But still, I hope you enjoy it regardless. The next chapter is a big one though, as it sees Tara going back to New York! What awaits her there? You'll have to wait and see!**

**Chances are one or two of you may be read this fanfic and thought "OK, so if this follows the story of the anime, what happens after episode 11? Will the story end there?" Well, I'll have a big announcement regarding that in the next chapter, so that's another reason to look forward to it!**

**As ever, please read, and please review. I'd love to hear more of your opinions!**

**Disclaimer- I do not own Kampfer.**

Chapter eleven- An Enemy's Support

The summer holidays had finally begun, but I was in no mood to celebrate, even though I would be going home the day after tomorrow. All I could think about was that day last week. The day I realised that I may be in love with another girl. I was still feeling awful after the way I treated Megumi. After all, she did nothing wrong. But my mind was so mixed up at the time, I felt it was all I could do to clear my head. Some good that did. If anything, I felt even worse than ever. I'd put on a brave face in front of my parents all week, as I didn't want them worrying about me, and I just about managed to focus on my work at school. But it didn't change how I felt. As I lay down on my bed this evening, I continued to be conflicted about my thoughts towards Megumi. I still didn't know how I really felt about her. All of me knew that she was a good friend, and I liked her, but there was a part of me that that felt a far greater affection for her. A remarkable, passionate feeling that I always got when I was near her. Like, I could stay in her arms forever and everything would be alright. And I'd be so happy. But I seemed so desperate to suppress that feeling for some reason. Maybe it was the shock that I felt that way about her that caused that. Perhaps I saw the way Natsuru was treated by her fan base and thought I didn't want to be like that, that I wanted to be one of the only sane ones at school. Whatever the reason was, it was badly messing me up. I was too scared to talk to my parents about it, as I was afraid of their reaction. I hadn't even spoken to any of my friends all week, either. Not even Pierced Sea Turtle spoke to me, which was unusual. Of course, the fact that I was still keeping her locked in my cupboard might have had something to do with that… Just what do I do?

Just then, my cell phone, which was resting on my desk, started to ring. I reached over to it from my bed and opened it. It was a call from Megumi. She tried to call me a few times over the last week, though she didn't keep bombarding me with calls- she clearly knew when to show some restraint. However, I didn't answer any of them. Even listening to her beautiful voice was making my heart pound at the moment. I let it keep ringing until it finally stopped. I just rested my head on my pillow again when the phone rang a second time. Geez, that girl's being persistent right now… I opened up my phone again, but I saw the call wasn't from Megumi. It was from Akane! No reason not to answer that one…

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hi Tara, it's Akane. I was wondering what our plans were for that convention tomorrow?"

Oh, shit! I'd completely forgotten about that! I'd been so preoccupied with school, the cultural festival, and the whole Kampfer thing, that it completely slipped my mind. I was even working on a couple of new cosplay outfits, which made my forgetfulness even worse! Considering I needed to spend tomorrow getting ready for my trip back home, there was no way I was going to be able to go to it now…

"Oh! That's tomorrow, isn't it? Um… I don't know how to break this to you, but I won't be able to go now. I'm going back to New York in a few days, and I need to spend tomorrow packing my bags. I'm really sorry…"

"Oh. Really? That's too bad. You're really going home, then?"

"Only for a week. I won't be gone long, I promise!"

"I see. Well, I hope you have fun. I guess I'll see you soon then."

Akane was about to hang up, but I stopped her for a second. Maybe I could still spend a little time with her- I really needed someone to talk to right now…

"Hold on a sec! I know I can't go to the convention tomorrow, but that doesn't mean we can't hang out for a little while. I can spare a couple of hours tomorrow, so why don't we spend a little time together in the afternoon? Is four o' clock alright for you?"

"Four o' clock sounds good. Okay, I'll see you then! Where do you want to meet?"

"In the middle of the shopping district. I promise I'll be waiting there for you, okay?"

"Sure. See you tomorrow."

I ended the call and rested my head on my pillow again. Maybe Akane wasn't the best person to talk about my problems to- after all, I knew how perverted her mind was. There was no telling how she'd react if I told her I could be a lesbian. But then, who said I have to talk to her about what's going through my mind right now? Perhaps I should just spend time with Akane and just have fun. Yeah, that'd probably be the best thing to do. Maybe, when I went back to New York, I'd talk to Cassie or my other friends about it, but right now, I should forget about my worries and just enjoy myself tomorrow afternoon.

…...

I spent most of the following day figuring out what to take with me, and packing my bags. At around midday, I went downstairs for some lunch. I could see that Mom and Dad were going over the flight details for tomorrow, so we'd know what to do when we got to the airport. I wasn't feeling that hungry, so I decided to settle on some toast for lunch. I popped some bread into the toaster, and turned around, noticing the new figure that was right in front of me!

"Hey Tara! What's up?" It was Mikoto. How on earth did she get in?

"Good afternoon. How are you today?" said Choking Stray Dog, who was perching on Mikoto's shoulder.

"Um… I'm… fine. Thanks for, uh, asking… So… um… How'd you get in here? You didn't even knock or anything…"

"Lock picking is an essential skill for any budding archaeologist!" said Mikoto, quite proudly. Seriously, why didn't she just knock? She better not have broken the lock on the door… Just then, my parents noticed Mikoto standing there and gave her a warm greeting.

"Ah, you're that girl who Tara met at the festival, right?" said Mom. "Nice to meet you. You'll have to excuse the mess, since we're packing for New York tomorrow."

"Really?" said Mikoto. "You're going to New York?"

"Yeah, I'm going back for a week. It's my home, so I'll be catching up with my friends and stuff." I said.

"That's so awesome! I wish I could go there."

"It's an amazing place. You definitely wouldn't regret going, so you should if you ever get the chance. In any case, things are kinda hectic around here at the moment, so you'll have to bear with us for now…"

"That's okay, I don't intend to stay for long. I'm only here to ask if you where Natsuru is right now. He wasn't at home when I checked, so I've been looking all over for him."

"I wouldn't know. He's never been over here, so I don't think this is the best place to look. Have you tried the shopping district?"

"Yeah, that'd be a good place to look! Oh well, thanks anyway, Tara! Have a good time next week!"

Mikoto walked out of the door with Choking Stray Dog still holding on. I'd certainly made some interesting friends in this country, regardless of whether or not I became a Kampfer…

…...

After Mikoto's unexpected visit, I had my lunch and then set towards packing the rest of my bags. I wasted a little time reading a couple of magazines, but I could afford to, as I already made up my mind about what I was taking. By about half past three, I was nearly done with packing, and there was only a small bit left to do. I could easily do that before I went to bed. For now, though, I had to leave to meet Akane.

"I'm going out for a little while. I'll be back before seven, okay?" I called out.

"Okay. Are you done packing then?" said Mom.

"Almost. The rest won't take much longer than half an hour to do, so I think I can afford to relax for the rest of the afternoon."

"Alright, just as long as you remember to finish packing tonight. See you at seven."

"Sure, no problem." I said as I walked out the door.

…...

It didn't take too long to reach the shopping district, as ever. When I got there, I was surprised to see Akane already sitting on a bench at the spot we agreed to meet. She wasn't alone, either- she had Seppeku Bunny with her as well.

"Hey Akane! You been waiting long?" I called, waving my arm to get Akane's attention.

"Huh. Looks like she decided to show up after all. And there I was thinking she'd chicken out…" said Seppeku Bunny.

"Be quiet!" said Akane, before turning to me. "Hi Tara. No, I only just got here myself. You'll have to excuse Seppeku Bunny, he seemed to think you'd get cold feet and not come after all today…"

"Why'd I want to do that? I wanted to hang out with you for a little bit, so there's no way I wouldn't turn up. Even if I did, I would have called you to say I wasn't coming."

"Well, you have been pretty distant this week. You never said a word to me or anyone else at school. Seppeku Bunny thought that you might have been trying to avoid me for some reason, maybe because we're supposed to be enemies. He thinks that that might have been the real reason you cancelled your plans for that convention- because you didn't want to talk to me…"

I smiled at Akane.

"Hey, if that was the case, I wouldn't have bothered asking to meet up right now! I know I've been quiet over the last week, and I'm sorry. I've had a lot on my mind lately, and I've been kinda depressed lately."

"A lot on your mind? You mean about the white Kampfers?"

"No, not them. Though I'm guessing you ran into some of them too, huh?"

"Yeah, we fought one of them while we were staying at Sakura's place. I think her name was Rika, and she was a Schwert type… She retreated before we really got started, though. What about you? You fought one too?"

"Uh huh. Another Schwert type too. I didn't transform when she attacked me for some reason, so she nearly did me in. I managed to change in the end, though, and I was able to get the best of her. She didn't seem to be that tough, surprisingly. Having said that, I doubt that'll be the last we'll see of them…"

"I know. We're going to have to be more alert from now on. I wonder how many more of the there are?"

"I dunno. Maybe we shouldn't think about this for now. We're supposed to hang out and have fun, right? Let's worry about the white Kampfers some other time."

"You're right. Where did you want to go?"

"How about the arcade first? I really feel like a game of After Burner Climax."

Akane's face went red.

"C-Climax? Is that some kind of hentai game!"

Oh dear. Poor Akane still couldn't help but see most things in a sexual way…

"No, silly. Come on, I'll show you when we get there."

"Show me? B-but…"

"All right! This is gonna be awesome!" said Seppeku Bunny, who also seemed convinced that After Burner Climax was a hentai game. It looked like they were both in need of some education.

…...

We spent nearly an hour at the arcade, most of the time playing DDR. Always one of my favourite games, and one that I rule at! I managed to convince Akane to have a few goes, as she was a bit too shy to give it a try. She was pretty poor at it, so I taught her how to play better. It didn't sink in particularly well though, as she still sucked pretty badly. Guess some people aren't very well built for it. We had a go of Time Crisis 4 as well, which was a lot of fun. Akane was actually very good at it- quite a surprise, considering what a bad shot she was as a Kampfer. I also played After Burner Climax, as I wanted to. And yes, Seppeku Bunny was disappointed to learn that it was a shooter, not a hentai game. We had such a great time, that I was starting to feel a lot better than I had in the last week. As we left the arcade, we ended up discussing everything we played, and our varying skills at them. Finally, I was smiling because I genuinely felt happy, not because I was hiding my anguish. I felt great!

"So, anything you want to do, Akane?" I asked.

"Yeah, I want to check out a few stores and see if there's anything new. Is that okay with you?"

"Of course! This is your trip as well, not just mine. Who knows, there might be something I'll want to buy too. Let's go!"

We made our way around the district and checked out some of the stores. There wasn't much there that was interesting, but I did buy myself a hair ornament, which I thought would look good on me. Other than that though, we finished our shopping trip empty handed. Neither of us minded though, as we had a great time regardless.

"I think you'll look really cute with that in your hair!" said Akane as we were about to leave. I looked at my new purchase and admired it- it was a hair clip with a cute pink flower design on the end. It was fairly small, but still noticeable. I loved it.

"I know, right? I'm going to wear it when I go home tomorrow. I love wearing cutesy stuff like thi-

I stopped mid sentence. Nearby in front of us was Megumi. Dammit, why'd I have to run into her here? I still didn't feel like I could face her at the moment… She had her back turned, so she hadn't noticed us yet, but I knew it was only a matter of time…

"Uh, Akane… Can you excuse me a moment?" I said, before running for a nearby alleyway to hide.

"Huh? What's wrong, Tara?" said Akane, right before she noticed Megumi.

"O-oh… Megumi-Chan?"

"Oh? Oh, Akane! Fancy running into you here!" said Megumi, who started to walk towards Akane. I stayed hidden in the alleyway.

"Psst!" I whispered to Akane. "If she asks, I'm not here!"

I edged a little further into the alleyway so I wouldn't be seen, but so I could also listen in if Akane and Megumi started talking. Which I knew was definitely going to be the case…

"Well, well." said Seppeku Bunny as Megumi approached. "If it isn't Chesty McRackboob…"

"U-um… G-good evening, M-Megumi-Chan. H-how are you?" Akane stammered as she struggled to think of something to say.

"I'm fine thanks. I see your messenger is as bad mouthed as ever…"

"Hey, I prefer the term "Sharp Witted"!" said Seppeku Bunny.

"No, "Bad Mouthed" sounds better." said Akane. "So, are you doing some shopping, Megumi-Chan?"

"Please, don't be so formal. Just call me Megumi. And yes, I needed to top up on a few supplies today, so I'm here to get them. Actually… Can I ask you something, Akane?"

"Yes? Is something wrong?"

"Yes. I… don't suppose you've heard anything from Tara, have you?"

"Y-yes, I called her yesterday, and we had a long talk. Why?"

"Hmmm. I called her yesterday too, but she didn't answer. I've been trying to reach her all week, but she keeps ignoring my calls."

"Did you two have a fight, or something?"

"That's the strange thing. Last Sunday, she started acting strangely. I asked her if she wanted to spend some time with me, but she refused, saying that she had other stuff to do…"

"That doesn't sound so strange. No one can be available all the time."

"Normally, I'd agree with you. However, there was something about her way of speaking that sounded like she was on edge. Like, she was trying to avoid me, or something… Later that day, she was attacked by one of those white Kampfers. I fought off another two of them myself, and they mentioned that Tara was another target, as were you, Natsuru and everyone else. So I went to help Tara out, but the Kampfer who was attacking her retreated when I showed up. Right afterwards, Tara told me to go away, to keep away from her. I was so upset when she said that. I've spent most of this week wondering what I did to make her act that way… I don't know what I did wrong…"

Megumi started to well up a little.

"Tara doesn't like you anymore?"

"I don't know. I wish I did. She's so hard to read. Can you do me a favour? Next time you see her, tell her that whatever I did, I'm sorry. I don't know why she's being like this, but I just want to apologise to her, and let her know that I'd never purposely hurt her… I love her too much to do that."

"EEEEHHHHHH? You're in love with her? You mean- THAT kind of love!"

For once, Akane's perverted mind actually called it right!

"Yes. I love her. More than anything else in the world. I felt that way ever since I saw her being attacked by you that evening. I felt like I really wanted to protect her until she became a stronger warrior, and even then, I still wanted to be with her. She means everything to me. I love her so much, I can't bear to see her the way she is now…"

From what I heard while I was hiding, it seemed Akane was lost for words. Seppeku Bunny, on the other hand, wasn't.

"Wow! How much I'd love to see a hot lesbian love scene between you two! That'd be awesome!"

"W-wha? Stop saying things like that!" said Akane.

"But it's true! What could possibly be hotter than a pair of sexy, big boobed ladies getting it-"

"Hey! That's enough! Shut up!"

"Ouch! Not the ears! Those are my sensitive spots!"

Of course, I couldn't see what was going on, but I had a feeling that Akane was now putting some serious hurt on Seppeku Bunny. It certainly seemed to have perked Megumi up, as I heard her laughing.

"Megumi? Are you okay?" asked Akane.

"Ha-ha, yeah, I'm fine." Megumi replied, before turning around to look at the clock that was nearby.

"Oh, is that the time? Hey, I need to go now. If you do see Tara, do tell her I'm sorry, okay?"

"Okay, but I won't see her for another week. She's going home to New York tomorrow."

"She is? Well, I hope she has a good time, then. Oh, and one more thing- I'm trying to dig up info on the white Kampfers. I'll let everyone know if I find anything."

"Yeah, okay. Bye!"

"Later, Babe!" said Seppeku Bunny as Megumi turned around and walked away. After a few minutes, Akane spoke to me.

"It's okay, she's gone now. You want to head home now?"

"Sounds like a plan. I promised I'd be back before seven anyway, so if we leave now, I should make it."

…...

As we made our way home, Akane was naturally curious about what Megumi told her.

"So, you really told her to keep away from you? Is it because you know she's in love with you?"

"Sort of. The truth is… I think I might be in love with her, as well."

Akane's face turned bright red.

"I knew it! You totally want to finger her, don't you? I don't blame you, she's so freakin' hot!" said Seppeku Bunny, right before Akane covered his mouth.

"I don't know. Up until now, I've always thought of myself as straight. But last Sunday, I had this dream where Megumi and I were in a passionate embrace. Even though it was just a dream, it was such a beautiful one, and it felt amazing. It even gave me a nosebleed. Ever since then, I've been so confused about my feelings towards her. That's why I pushed her away like I did. Because I was freaking out so much about it all, and I didn't know what else to do."

"Couldn't you talk to your parents about it?"

"Maybe, but I'm not sure what their reaction would be. They're not homophobic or anything, but it might be too much of a shock for them if I told them I might be a lesbian… I just wish I knew what to do."

"Seriously, you're such an idiot!" said Seppeku Bunny. "If I was in your shoes, I'd have told Megumi I loved her from the moment I'd realised it! Then I'd have got her naked and started-ACK!"

Akane had grabbed Seppeku Bunny by the throat and was starting to throttle him. Thank you, Akane. You summed up my feelings exactly!

"Tara's nowhere near as perverted as you! You and your filthy mouth!"

"Hey, it's not like you're any better yourself! Especially when you transform!"

"I can't help that! You know my personality changes when I'm a Kampfer!"

Akane dropped Seppeku Bunny on the ground.

"Just don't say anymore." she said, "Or I'll transform and REALLY give you hell!"

"Okay, I'll be quiet from now on! Sheesh…"

Clearly feeling pleased with herself, Akane picked Seppeku Bunny up and turned to me.

"I'm sorry about that. Seppeku Bunny is so vulgar…"

"I know. He's not the most subtle of messengers, is he?" I replied.

"He isn't, no. But… About your feelings for Megumi… Is there anyone else in your family you could talk about it to? You know, someone you wouldn't feel so uncomfortable about talking to?"

"Well, I was thinking about talking to my sister about it while I'm in New York. I've always confided the most in her."

"Maybe you should do that. I'm no expert on this sort of thing, but I think talking about it with your family is the best thing to do. At best, you could figure out whether or not you really love Megumi, and your family can help you. I think you should be more open. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll figure this out eventually. Either way, I think you should apologise to Megumi once you get the chance. After all, you're the one who needs to say sorry, not her. She didn't deserve to be treated the way she was, and I know she'll forgive you."

Akane gently patted my shoulder.

"Yeah, you're right. I'll do that as soon as I can. Thanks Akane."

We both giggled. I felt a lot better now. I knew spending some time with Akane this evening was a good idea! We continued our way to my home when suddenly, we could hear a sound coming from the distance. And it was rapidly coming closer.

"WHAAAA!"

The sound seemed to be someone crying. It got even closer and closer until we could both see a trail of dust heading right towards us! In the middle of that trail, we could just about make out a figure- and we knew who it was!

"Mikoto?" I asked. The cloud came to a perfect stop right next to us. It was indeed Mikoto, and she was crying pretty hard. She still had Choking Stray Dog on her shoulder like she did earlier today. Christ, what happened to her?

"T-Tara… Akane…" Mikoto sniffed.

"Mikoto? What happened?" asked Akane.

"Natsuru… That idiot! He… He…" Mikoto tried to reply.

"What about Natsuru? Is he hurt or something?" I asked.

"Yeah… Because I'M the one who hurt him! That moron!" Mikoto replied, her tears turning to anger.

"What happened?" I said.

"Natsuru went out on a date with the student council president." said Choking Stray Dog.

"Really? Natsuru and Shizuku?" I said. Well, that would certainly explain where he's been all day…

"The lamest thing is," Mikoto said, "He tried to pretend it wasn't even a real date! He said it was just a ploy to draw out the white Kampfers! I can't believe he'd sink so low!"

Actually, I had a feeling he really did think that. I knew Shizuku had toyed with Natsuru several times in the past. He most likely didn't trust her enough to believe it was a real date. He's pretty dense, but I think I'd have done the same, if I was him… In the meantime, Akane, who had been silent for a little while, clenched her fists and started to walk away.

"Um… Akane? Where are you going?" I asked

"To talk to Natsuru." she replied, with a serious hint of anger in her voice. Oh yeah, I nearly forgot. Akane seemed to have a crush on Natsuru, didn't she?

"Don't do anything too rash, okay? Don't go shooting at him or anything."

"I won't. I just need to talk to him… Um, I had a great time today. Hope you enjoy yourself in New York…"

Akane spoke without changing her angry attitude. She stormed away in the direction of Natsuru's home with the same furious look on her face. This was most likely not going to end well… I turned toward Mikoto, who was still both tearful and angry.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked.

"Sorry Tara, but I'm seriously pissed right now. I have to go."

With that, Mikoto walked away too. This had certainly been an interesting end to the day, though it thankfully didn't damper things. As I walked the rest of the way home, I thought back to what Akane said. She was right- I was the one who had to apologise, not Megumi. But I was still conflicted about whether I was in love with her or not. Maybe I should talk to Cassie about it when I go back to New York. Maybe even my parents, if I'm feeling up to it. Maybe then, I can clear my head and figure myself out. Then, maybe once I come back, I can look Megumi in the eyes and say sorry. Regardless of whether or not I love her, I owe her that much at least.


	12. Chapter 12: Homecoming

**Okay, chapter 12 is now complete! Here, we see Tara returning to New York for a short holiday, only to find things are just as complicated there than it is in Japan! I introduce Tara's friends in this chapter, including Laura. There won't be any Kampfer activity here, or in the next chapter, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. I end on a slight cliff hanger as well. **

**So, I promised you an announcement regarding the future of this fanfic in this chapter. There are only another three chapters to go until the events of the anime are done with, after all. Well, after those three chapters, that'll be the end of Battle Against Fate.**

**But that won't be the end of the story. Far from it.**

**You see, I'm intending to make a trilogy of this story. The first part is, of course, the very fanfic you're now reading, and focuses on the events of the anime. The other two parts will take the story in a whole new direction. So, what do I have planned? That would be telling, but I will say that it'll be a darker, more supernatural take on the Kampfer universe, though it'll still keep the spirit of the franchise, don't worry about that.**

**That's all I'm going to reveal for now, but I'll explain a little more details in the next chapter.**

**As ever, please read and review. **

**Disclaimer- I do not own Kampfer.**

Chapter twelve- Homecoming

It was late in the afternoon as I looked out through the exit at JFK Airport. Watching the traffic go along the road outside, I took another sip out of the bottle of Sprite I'd just bought from the nearby vending machine, and breathed in the familiar New York air. It felt so nice to be back. Living in Japan was good and all, but sometimes there's just no place like home. Especially after everything that happened to me since I moved. I went through so much- becoming a Kampfer, getting into various scrapes, finding my confidence etc, that I was looking forward even more to coming back here. Maybe now I could finally get some R & R. Can't say I hadn't earned it. Then again, my mind was still mostly fretting about Megumi. I still felt so mixed up and confused about my feelings towards her.

"Hey! Are we there yet?" came the muffled voice coming from my backpack. Yes, I bought Pierced Sea Turtle with me. I didn't fully trust her being alone for a week at home while we were away. No telling what she would have gotten up to…

"We've been here for about an hour or so." I said. "Now be quiet! People will look at me and think I'm crazy for talking to my backpack!"

"Whatever. Sure is noisy around here. What makes this place so awesome, anyway?"

I said nothing. Instead, I removed my backpack and gave it a good shake, knowing that it would give Pierced Sea Turtle something of a headache. Yup, nothing like a little plushie abuse to cheer me up! Just then, I saw Mom and Dad come down the corridor towards me, carrying our suitcases.

"Ha-ha, I know you've been looking forward to coming back, but you should at least slow down. Your father and I can't keep up!" said Mom.

"Yeah, sorry about that." I replied, taking my own suitcase from Dad. "I did kinda rush ahead… So when's Cassie coming to pick us up?"

"She said she'd be here at about five, and it's about ten to five now, so she shouldn't be much longer. I haven't heard about any traffic jams, so she shouldn't be any problems getting here."

We would be spending the week at my sister's apartment. It was pretty big and fancy, so there would be enough space for three extra people to sleep in. It'd also be ideal, as I badly wanted to talk to Cassie about my current problem… I just hoped that she wouldn't be late picking us up. Oh come on, what was I worrying about? This was Cassie! Whenever we needed her, she'd always stop what she's doing and come for us! So why should today be any different? I rested my case- no sooner had I thought that, a familiar blue BMW stopped by the airport exit. It was her! Cassie came out of the vehicle's door and gave me a smile.

"Hi Tara. How've you been?" she asked, walking up to me and giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"Fine, thanks. Japan's been pretty awesome!"

"Glad to hear it. I'm sure you'll tell me more later. Can't wait to hear what you've been up to!" said Cassie, before walking over to Mom and Dad and giving them hugs.

"Hi. You both okay? Your new job going alright, Mom?"

"Everything's going fine, Cassie, especially at work." said Mom. "You been working today?"

"Nah, I made sure I had no jobs today so I could pick you up. Anyway, can I take your bags? I'll just load them up, and we'll be on our way."

"Sure." said Dad, handing Cassie the suitcases. She took them over to her car, lifted up the boot and placed them inside. The boot was big enough to fit them in, which was no surprise. Since she uses a lot of equipment in her job, she needed a big boot to hold it all. Cassie walked over to me again.

"Can I take your backpack too? It'll fit, don't worry about that."

"It's no worry. Here, take it." I said as I gave my backpack to her. As she took it, she took a quick look at my wrist.

"Hey, that's a nice bracelet you're wearing. You got that while you were over there, I presume?"

Figures that she'd notice my bracelet. She would have done sooner or later, though.

"Yeah, I did. I also got this cute hair clip. See?" I said, showing her the clip I had in my hair.

"Oh yeah. It's really adorable. Suits you." Cassie looked me in the eyes for little while.

"Hm? Is there something on my face?" I asked.

"No. It's just that… You seem stronger than you did before you left."

"Stronger? How so?"

"I don't know. It's like… You have more confidence. It looks like you've been through a lot since you moved to Japan, and you've become a stronger person because of it. I can't explain it that well, but I can see a real change in you. You're not the same person you were a few months back."

That, I think, was a huge understatement. But I wasn't about to tell Cassie about everything that happened since I moved to Japan. Even if I did, even she would think I was crazy.

"Anyway, you should probably take that with a pinch of salt." Cassie said. "I think we should get going. It's going to be another forty minutes or so until we get back to my place, so the sooner we leave, the sooner we get there."

"Sounds good to me. Let's get going." I said.

…...

As we drove through the familiar sights of New York, Cassie was talking with my parents about how they were doing, how they were getting on with their jobs, etc. I wasn't really listening, though. All I was doing was gazing at my bracelet, lost in my own thoughts. Even back home, I couldn't help but wonder about this whole Kampfer thing. There was still so many unanswered questions, especially now with the white Kampfers on the scene. I wondered if we would ever find out the truth about why we're fighting, and if there was a way of putting an end to it. Another thing had also crossed my mind- are there any Kampfers here as well? Are these fights just taking place in Japan, or are they being fought worldwide? Well, I'd probably find out soon enough. I also wondered how much longer I could keep this a secret, too. I'd been lucky so far, but could I really keep it up? My thoughts were finally interrupted by Mom's voice.

"Hello? Tara? I'm asking you a question…"

"Huh? Oh, sorry. Kinda deep in thought back there… Um, what did you say, sorry?"

"Didn't you say it was your friend Akane who was going on a date with that Natsuru boy?"

Oh yeah, that's right! Akane called me right before I left to say she asked Natsuru out on a date! At gunpoint, I'm willing to bet…

"Yeah. I think they're going to the beach or something."

"I thought he was going out with that Shizuku though? Did they break up or something?" asked Dad.

"It's… complicated. Let's just say Natsuru's been pretty popular with the girls lately…" I said.

"He must be very lucky." laughed Mom. If by lucky, you mean of the bad variety, then yes, I suppose he is…

"What about that other girl you're friends with? Megumi, wasn't it?" asked Cassie. That jolted me up quite a bit.

"Um… Well…" I mumbled.

"Laura showed me that picture from the Cultural Festival with her in it. She's the one with the purple pigtails, right?"

"Y-yeah, that's her. Wearing the Gothic Lolita dress…" I said.

"Yeah, I thought so. I gotta say, she is gorgeous! Her boyfriend must be very lucky to have her!"

"Umm… She doesn't have a boyfriend…"

"Really? A beautiful girl like her? That's a surprise. I'd have thought someone like her could have any boy she wanted."

True enough, she could. Very easily, in fact. But she doesn't want a boy- she wants me! I wonder how Cassie's going to react when I tell her that… Not just yet, though. I really need to get her alone before I can talk about all this. No need to think about that until I settle down at Cassie's apartment.…

"I was quite surprised myself, actually." said Mom. "She's so pretty, yet she seems to be all alone in the world. She lives on her own, and she's not dating anyone. It seems so sad…"

"Yeah, apparently her parents died when she was fifteen." said Dad. "Quite how she's managed to cope on her own for all that time is beyond me."

I kept quiet. I wasn't too keen on talking about Megumi, as it was just a reminder of the messed up feelings inside me right now. I decided to zone out again. Try not to think about it for now. And forget about anything Kampfer related too. Really should have taken my MP3 player out of my backpack before I gave it to Cassie… I decided to think about Laura and the rest of the gang. I couldn't wait to see them again. I also put a little thought into where else I wanted to go during the week. Central Park was a given, as was Times Square, maybe even Nintendo World- been a while since I've been there! Eventually, I was woken up, so to speak, by Cassie's voice.

"You still in there, Tara? We're home!"

"Oh? Okay." I said, shaking my head to get myself back to reality. The car had stopped near the apartment block where Cassie lived. Mom and Dad had already gotten out and were getting their bags out from the boot.

"Ha-ha, it's amazing how much time you spend in that head of yours! You got a lot on your mind?"

"Yeah. I was just thinking about what I'm gonna be doing this week. And about how much I'm looking forward to seeing everyone again!"

"Yeah, well, you can think about that later. Right now, just concentrate on settling in, eh?"

I just smiled at Cassie as I got out of the car and grabbed my backpack from the boot. Cassie locked up and we both headed towards our parents, who were waiting for us near the entrance of the block. After taking the elevator up to the ninth floor, we all walked down to the end of the corridor, where Cassie's apartment was. Cassie unlocked the door, and we walked in, all happy to finally be able to sit back and relax. Looking around, I saw that nothing had particularly changed from the last time I was here. The main room was about twice the size of Megumi's sitting room, with the same grassy green carpet that I remembered, and the fancy patterned wallpaper on the walls. To my left, I saw the TV, along with the large cream coloured couch, along with several other seats of the same colour. The TV itself was a 32 inch HD model, and was connected to various devices and games consoles- including Dad's old Sega Genesis. Sweet, looks like she managed to dig that up! To my right, I saw the kitchen, which had a swanky looking oven, along with the usual microwave, toaster and kitchen utensils. There was also a breakfast bar in the centre of the kitchen as well. Ahead of me, were the doors to the bedrooms, with the door to the bathroom on the left.. It was such a nice, welcoming place.

"So, you'll be staying in the same places as you were the last time you were here." said Cassie. "Mom and Dad have the room on the left, you'll have the room on the right, and I'll be sleeping on the couch."

"Really?" I said. "You sure you want to do that? I'd feel really bad if-"

"Don't worry about it. Mom and Dad's room is the only one with a double bed, and there's only a single bed in mine. I'm used to sleeping on the couch anyway, so it's no biggie. Really!"

"If you say so…" I still felt pretty bad about Cassie having to sleep on the couch, but I suppose there's not much else that could be done about that. I decided to head into my room and unpack everything. Mom had already put my suitcase in there, so at least I didn't have to worry about dragging it in there. I opened up my backpack and took out Pierced Sea Turtle.

"Finally! You have no idea how hot and cramped it is in there!" she said.

"Can you do me a favour while we're here? Try not to talk. My parents are next door, and they could easily hear you from there! So PLEASE behave yourself, okay?"

"Fine. Damn, this trip's gonna be boring…"

As I unpacked the rest of my stuff, I heard a knock on the door. I answered it to se Cassie holding a carrier bag.

"Hey, I just wanted to know if you wanted these. They're some of my old clothes that were lying around and not getting used. I think you'd look quite good in them. Try them on sometime, okay?"

"Oh, sure. Thanks Cassie. I'll check them out tomorrow, then." I took the carrier bag from Cassie, who then took a quick look around the room and saw Pierced Sea Turtle.

"Oh! You have one of those Entrails Animals? Cool, I always wanted one myself!"

You're joking, right?

"Uh, yeah. This one was given to me, though. I didn't actually buy it." I said.

"Oh, right. It's still awesome though. Anyway, I'll be preparing dinner soon. I'm sure you must be hungry, right?"

"You know it. Can't wait to see what you're making!"

Cassie, unlike me, was a great cook. Every time we came over, she always took the time to make some amazing meals. It was always going to be one of the highlights of this trip for me! That night, she made a beautiful lasagne, along with some boiled potatoes and some vegetables. We spent the whole of dinner chatting away with each other, while the rest of the evening was spent washing up and watching TV. I was pretty tired and jetlagged after our long journey home, so I decided to go to bed early. I was already looking forward to tomorrow, and I wanted to be at my best in the morning.

…...

As I woke up the following morning, the smell of bacon wafted into my nose. Guess Cassie was making breakfast. I got out of bed, put on my dressing gown and walked out of the bedroom door to the kitchen, expecting to see Cassie at the stove. But she wasn't. Instead, I was surprised to see Megumi standing there, holding a frying pan with some bacon and sausages on it. She was wearing an apron, and… well, not much else, actually. In fact, apart from her bracelet, she wasn't wearing anything at all!

"Tara! Good timing! Breakfast is ready!" she said, sweetly. Once again, I was drawn to her fantastic body- I never realised what a curvy backside she had…

"Megumi? What are you doing here?"

"That's not important right now." she said, putting the contents of the pan onto a plate and then making her way towards me. "Here. I know how much you love your bacon and sausages in the morning."

Megumi bent down to place the plate on the bar, and in doing so, showed off a very impressive amount of cleavage. I was starting to get all flustered again…

"Uh… Why aren't you wearing any clothes over that apron?"

"I don't have to, silly." Megumi said, while gently sliding her index finger down my nose. "My body is far too sexy to keep under wraps. Tell you what-when you're done eating, I can take the apron off as well…"

Wow… This was getting too much.

"Then again, how about I take it off now?"

Megumi undid her apron, though she still held it in place with her arms. Her boobs were nicely squished underneath it, even more so when she pushed them up. She looked so sexy… Suddenly, everything went white, and the next thing I knew, I was back in bed. Another dream… Damn, that turned me on. That tears it- I'm talking to Cassie about this tonight! As I tried to bring myself together, my attention turned towards the smell of bacon that was coming from the kitchen. Déjà vu, anyone?

Once again, I put on my dressing gown and went out the bedroom door to the kitchen. This time around, Cassie really was at the stove.

"Morning Tara." she said. "Did you have a good night's sleep?"

"I guess you could say that. You making breakfast?"

"Uh huh. bacon and sausages- your favourite! Want some?"

To be honest, after that dream I just had, I'd been put right off bacon and sausages for now.

"You know what, I think I'll pass. Some cereal will do me right now…"

"Okay, but all I have is Corn Flakes right now." said Cassie. "I can get something else today, if you'd like…"

"That'll do, thanks. Think I'll have some toast as well…"

I spent the next hour eating my breakfast and getting washed and dressed. Mom and Dad had also woken up while I was in the shower, and they were eating by the time I was out. Ducking back into my room, I threw the towel I had around my hair over Pierced Sea Turtle and set about drying my hair. After that, I got dressed, deciding to wear the clothes that Cassie gave me. I looked at myself in the mirror after I put them on- not bad, actually. The jeans were fairly tight, but they fit quite nicely, and hugged my figure well too. The orange top was a little skimpy. Wearing it showed off my bare midriff, while the top was fairly low cut, revealing some rather attractive cleavage. Nonetheless, I felt it looked good. It'd be good for the summer, at the very least. Now that I was dressed, I decided to head out of the apartment, as I already knew what I'd be doing today.

"I'm going out now." I called out to everyone. "I'm going to meet up with my friends for a while."

"Okay." said Mom, right before noticing my new outfit. "Wow, you look very beautiful in those clothes."

"Thanks. Cassie gave them to me."

"It's very nice." said Dad. "You'll have no trouble getting a boyfriend wearing those!"

Uh… Thanks Dad. Remind me that it's actually another girl I'm in love with at the moment, why don't you?

"I, uh… I guess not. See you all later." I said, sheepishly.

…...

I made my way downtown, through the ever familiar streets. It was nearly 10 o' clock as I left the apartment, so I was making good time. Hopefully it should be open by now, and everyone'll be there… As I got nearer to my destination, I suddenly heard a few voices nearby- voices I recognised.

"For fuck's sake, why do you keep picking on her? Don't you have anything better to do?"

"Hey, it's not my fault she's so worthless! She brought it on herself!"

"What, just because she even exists? If you don't like someone, that's your problem. But that doesn't give you an excuse to be a bully…"

I looked over and saw three people, two of which, a boy and a girl, were arguing. The other girl was keeping quiet, hiding behind the boy. I knew all three of them from my old high school- the boy, with the black spiky hair, was Steve, while the short haired brunette hiding behind him was Sara. Both of them were among my best friends here. Last, and most definitely least, was Josie, whose shoulder length hair was a similar colour to Sara's only a little darker. Josie always had a bit of a reputation for being a real bitch to people, and she and her lackeys were constantly picking on Sara. Remember back when I said I knew firsthand the damage that bullying causes? That was because of the way Sara was treated. As a result of constant bullying, she'd become shy and withdrawn, even emotionally fragile. She was a completely different person than she was when I first met her. Steve was always a good guy, always sticking up for other people as he was in this instant. He's a pretty good martial artist, actually- he was pretty much the guy who did the most to defend us when we were ever in trouble, which thankfully wasn't often. In any case, this was normally the kind of situation where I'd just stand back and watch, due to my cowardice back then. But I'm no longer a coward, am I? I walked right over to the scene to lend a hand.

"Steve's got a point, you know." I said as I approached them. "What gives you the right to pick on her?"

Everyone turned around, and were quite surprised to see me.

"W-whoa! Taz! Wasn't expecting to see you back so soon!" said Steve.

"Hmph! And just what are YOU doing here, Goodman?" said Josie. "Did Geek Country turn out to be too creepy for you?"

"Actually," I said, "I'm here on vacation for a week, and I'm here to catch up on things. But it looks like some things never change… So, you ARE going to leave Sara alone, aren't you?"

"Heh." Josie snorted. "So the cowardly lion finally found some courage. How much did you have to twist the Wizard Of Oz's arm to give you that?"

"You'd be surprised with how much I've changed over the last few months." I said. "You should walk away now, while you still have the chance. Trust me, it's for your own good. You don't want to get on my bad side any more than you already have."

"I'm so terrified. Whatever. It's not worth taking you both on right now. Later."

Josie turned around and walked away. I seriously hate her… I turned around to Sara and Steve, neither of whom could believe what they just saw me do.

"Tara… You just…" said Sara.

"Okay, who are you, and what have you done with Taz?" said Steve. "The Taz we know would never stand up to anyone like you just did!"

"Nice to see you again too." I said. "Like I just said, I'm not quite the same person I was when I left."

"I'll say. Thank you so much for helping me." said Sara, before walking up to me and giving me a hug. "Wow, I love your new outfit. Your hairpin and bracelet are cool too. So, how've you been? We all really missed you!"

"Thanks. I really missed you guys too. I've been fine. If the fact that I'm a lot more confident doesn't say much, then what does? How about you? Are you guys doing alright?"

"I guess. About the same as usual. Josie won't stop picking on me, no change there."

"Yeah, only she seems to be getting nastier all the time." said Steve. "She's even worse than she was before. She really needs the fear of God put into her, otherwise… Say, Taz- are you going to Ray's?"

"Of course! Do you know if the others are there at the moment?"

"I don't, no." said Sara. "I was on my way there myself when I ran into Josie. Luckily, Steve showed up right after she started picking on me again, which I was grateful for. Of course, I'm grateful for you as well, Taz!"

"No problem." I said. "How about we all go together, then?"

"Sounds good." said Steve. "Let's make a move."

…...

The three of us finally arrived at our destination- Ray's Pizza Parlour. This was our main hangout, mainly because it was run by the father of another of my friends. I agreed to stay outside briefly as Steve and Sara went in to say hi to everyone, so I would surprise everyone.

"Hey guys, what took you so long?" came a female voice from inside. That was Jane, who was pretty much the gossipy one, although she was also a very caring person. She also happened to be the aforementioned friend whose father runs the place. Come to think of it, Laura said she was dating Steve, didn't she? I wondered if they were still an item.

"Sorry about that." said Steve. "Sara was unlucky enough to run into Josie again, so I stopped to help her out."

"Awww, that's sweet of you." Jane replied. "That's why I love you so much…"

"Well, don't just praise me. Someone else came along to help as well. In fact, she's waiting outside." said Steve, right before calling out to me.

"Hey! You can come in now!"

Right on cue, I walked in, and everyone looked at first surprised, then happy.

"Taz! You're back! Oh, it's so awesome to see you again, girlfriend!" said Jane, getting out of her seat to give me a hug. She hadn't changed one bit. Her dark blonde hair still just stopped above her hips, and she was still high spirited. Looking around, I also saw Chris sitting down, smiling. I'd been friends with him for such a long time, shortly after I made friends with Laura. That was in Kindergarten, at the very least. There wasn't much the three of us didn't do together, even as we grew up. I think he may well have been the happiest to see me… Speaking of Laura, I didn't see her around anywhere… My attention immediately turned towards Jane again.

"Geez, your boobs have grown again, haven't they?" she said. "You look hotter than ever! And that outfit really brings out your sexy side, too."

"Thanks… I think…" I said. She was always like that. She knew how much attention I got at school, and she was always trying to get me to look a lot sexier, so I could attract more boys. If only she knew of the other person I managed to attract…

"Um, so, where's Laura? Is she here too?" I said, trying to divert attention away from my figure. Plus, I really was curious about Laura.

"Nope." said Chris, running his hand through his short brown hair. "Dunno where she is right now. She said she'd join us soon, but she didn't say how soon."

Speak of the devil. At that point, the door opened, and in walked a girl with light red hair that was a little longer than Sara's. She finally showed up!

"Hey, sorry I'm late." she said. "I overslept a little, and- No way! Taz! You're back already? We weren't expecting you back for another few weeks!"

"Hi Laura." I said, as she gave me a hug. "How are you right now?"

"I'm good, thanks. And you? I can't wait to hear about everything you've been up to since you moved!"

"I'm okay too. And yeah, it's been pretty eventful over in Japan. We have plenty of time to talk about that though, right?"

"We sure do." said Laura. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you again! And it's a funny thing you're here, too- I've actually brought those photos from your festival with me! This is the first time everyone's seen them, except for Cassie…"

Of course. Cassie did say Laura showed her those pictures. Suddenly, she shoved one of the photos in my face. It was the one of me with Megumi and Shizuku.

"I really wanted to ask you about this one." she said. "The person on the left is the president of your school's student council right? And I have to say, that cat maid costume is so adorable!"

"Uh… Yeah, that's the student council president on the left. Shizuku Sango. And I do appreciate the comment on my costume, even though I had no say in it…"

Laura passed the photo around to everyone else. Immediately, they all turned their attention to the other girl in it.

"Wow, who's the hottie on the right?" said Steve. "She's so gorgeous!"

"That's… Megumi, I believe?" said Laura. "That friend Tara made who's into all the Gothic Lolita stuff. I agree with you, Steve- she's unbelievably pretty. You've made some good friends there, Taz!"

"I guess I have. So, what have you guys been up to lately? Anything good? Wasn't the New York Comic Con on recently? Did you guys go?"

"Yeah, we did." said Laura. We even had a little cosplay group, with a little help from Cassie. Hey, why don't we all sit down, and we can talk about it a little more?"

"I can go with that." said Jane. "I could do with a good sit."

"You've only just got up." said Chris.

"I know, but still… I feel like sitting down now."

"Ha-ha, I hate to think what you'll be like when you're older!" said Sara.

We all sat down at the table and started talking about what had been going on in my absence, and about my new life in Japan. Of course, I wasn't about to talk about becoming a Kampfer, but there was still a lot I could talk to them about. Naturally, there were a few comments about my bracelet, but I told everyone what I told my parents- that I bought it on a shopping trip. While we were talking, Jane's dad Ray offered us a pizza on the house- an offer we simply couldn't refuse. Pleasant conversation, free pizza… It was just like the good old days. At about half past one in the afternoon, Laura decided to leave, and asked me if I wanted to go to the Rockefeller Centre with her. I was going to go anyway, and it wasn't too far from here, so I said yes. We said our goodbyes to the rest of the gang and arranged to meet with them again at Central Park the next morning.

…...

"Whatever. Even now, I still find it hard to believe you have a pet tarantula named Holly…" I said as Laura and I walked to the Rockefeller Centre. We were discussing if I had any pets since I moved to Japan, which I didn't. I suppose Pierced Sea Turtle didn't count. This led to a talk about some of Laura's more unusual tastes. She loves spiders, for example. And other creepy crawlies. She likes cute animals too, but it's the bugs she's always been most interested in.

"I guess it's not a conventional pet, is it? Most people who see her run off in an instant, and never come into the living room again. I think even Jane gets a little nervous around her. I don't know why, as she isn't poisonous- I wouldn't be allowed to have her if she was!"

"Yeah, but she's not the most attractive of creatures, is she? I mean, you may think otherwise, but most people are scared pretty shitless of them."

"And that's a shame. Speaking of attractive creatures… Do you have a boyfriend yet? You know, in Japan?"

I suddenly jumped. Why'd she have to bring THAT up?

"U-uh… Well… sort of…"

"Really?" Laura's eyes lit up as I said that. "Awesome! So who's the lucky guy? Come on, you can tell me!"

That made me think. Maybe I could talk to her about Megumi. Why wait until I can talk to Cassie? I mean, who knows? Maybe Laura can give me some advice. I stopped and put my hands on Laura's shoulders.

"Laura. You have to promise me you won't tell anyone about this, understand?"

"Sure. I can keep a secret. But why don't you want to tell anyone?"

"Alright. Then… The lucky guy is… Megumi."

"That's cool, I- wait- what? But Megumi's a girl, right?"

"Exactly. She's very much a girl."

Laura started to look a little confused.

"But that means… Geez… My god… You're in love with a girl? You've become a lesbian?"

"I don't know. I-I'm not sure. Last week, I had this erotic dream about her, and I loved it. But it also scared me. I've never felt this way about another girl. I always believed that my love would be, you know, male. I had a similar dream about her this morning as well, and it really turned me on. But I don't know if this is what I want…"

"Does Megumi love you?"

"Yes. I overheard her talk to one of my other friends- Akane- and she just poured her heart out about me. The worst thing is, before hand, I was so messed up over my feelings towards her, that I just told her to stay away from me. Now she's really upset, because she thinks she did something awful to me…"

"Wow. I still can't believe I'm hearing this. I never thought of you as being gay. Maybe you should lay off the anime for a while…"

I smiled a little.

"Gee, thanks for the advice, Oprah. Seriously, I'm at a total loss here. I know I need to apologise to her, but I still don't know if I can face her just yet. I don't know whether or not I really love her, or why I suddenly have these feelings- or why I'm fretting so much about it."

"Personally, I think it's down to the shock. You've always believed you're straight, right? Now, all of a sudden, you start to realise you're in love with this girl, and it's a real shock to you. I think that's why you're so confused. Because this realisation was so sudden. That's what I think, anyway. Do you really love her? If you ask me- and feel free to shoot me for saying something so corny- I think you need to listen to your heart on that one. If you really love her, you'll know. And hey- regardless on how you think, I'll always support you. After all, that's what friends are for, right?"

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Laura. I'm so glad I talked to you about it! But… Can you still not tell anyone about this? I don't know what everyone else's reaction to this will be…"

"My lips are sealed. I also think you should talk to your parents, and Cassie as well. I think you'll find they'll be a lot more helpful than you think."

"Heh, that's what Akane said, too. Yeah, I was going to talk to Cassie about it anyway, so maybe I'll talk to Mom and Dad as well. Anyway, I think we've talked enough about this. Maybe we should get moving again."

"Yeah. At this rate, it'll be too late to do anything. "

We both continued our way to the Rockefeller Centre, going back to our previous talk about Laura's tarantula. However, little did either of us know that someone had listened in on our conversation about Megumi- probably the last person who should have found out about it…

…...

We spent the next few hours wandering around the whole area around the Rockefeller Centre. We went around the NBC gift shop, where I bought some candy, as well as going to the Top Of The Rock. I always loved the view from up there, and being there with Laura made it even better. We also looked around some of the shops in the area, before finishing at Nintendo World. Unfortunately, there weren't any DS games that took my fancy, and none of the Wii games would work on the one I had back home. That was a shame, as the new Metroid game had been released, and I quite liked the look of it. Oh well, I could always get it when I got back home. I did, however, walk away with a Peach plushie, so that was good. While neither of us bought that much, we still enjoyed our time together, and it had been a memorable day. As the sun started to set, we both stood outside Nintendo World, about to part ways.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow at Central Park then." I said.

"Count on it. I can't wait! Oh, and do try and talk to your family about how you feel about Megumi, okay?"

"Yeah, I will. Don't worry about that. Anyway, see you tomorrow!"

"Bye!"

I waved goodbye to Laura as she walked off. I headed off in the opposite direction, towards Cassie's apartment. It'd take me about twenty five minutes to get there, if I really picked up the pace. About halfway through my journey, though, I was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Taz! Fancy running into you here!"

It was Chris. I wasn't expecting to run into him either.

"Oh, hey. On your way home?"

"Yup. I take it you are, too?"

"Uh huh. I'm staying at Cassie's place while I'm here."

"Thought you might. Sorry I didn't join you and Laura, but after what happened to Sara, she didn't want to go home alone. So we all went with her to make sure she got back okay. She did, in case you're wondering."

"Heh. That's just like you. Always putting the more helpless first. Glad she's okay now, in any case. Hey, I'll see you tomorrow, right?

"Sure. See you then!"

As I began to walk away, Chris called out again.

"Oh- wait a second!"

Chris started to look like he didn't know what to say.

"What's up?"

"Well, there's something I want to say. I really wanted to tell you this for a long time, but by the time I finally found it in me to say it, you were about to move away. It probably won't do me any good to say it now, but I still need to get it off my chest…"

All of a sudden, this was stating to look familiar. All the way back to the end of the Cultural Festival, when Megumi was trying to…

"Wait a second- Chris? You mean-"

"Yeah. Taz… I… I… love you."

I knew it! But I still couldn't believe he just said it… Well, that just made things more complicated.


	13. Chapter 13: Tara's Choice

**We're very nearly at the end of part one of this fanfic, folks- after this chapter, there's now only another two to write up! **

**This chapter carries on from the end of chapter 12, and sees Tara now torn between a lesbian romance with Megumi, or a normal, though long distance, romance with her childhood friend, Chris. Who will she choose? All I'll say is, you'll know by the end of this chapter!**

**A little more information regarding the follow up to this fanfic- I won't be starting on it right after I'm done with Battle Against Fate. Instead, I'll be writing a trio of one shots based on the BAF version of the Kampfer universe. I've had these ideas in my head ever since I came up with the idea of this story, but since they had nothing to do with the overall plot, I decided to leave them out, and keep them separate. I will say that the first one will involve Tara, but the other two will be a little bit different. Please look forward to them!**

**All that's left for me to say is, please read and review!**

**Dislcaimer: I do not own Kampfer.**

Chapter thirteen- Tara's Choice

"Taz… I… I… love you."

I was still trying to get my head around those words. I mean, this was Chris! The same Chris who Laura and I played with all the time when we were kids. The same Chris who we did everything with. He was my other best friend. And now he just told me he loves me! Just when I thought things couldn't get any more fucked up…

"Chris… I-I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything right now, if at all." said Chris. "I know that was completely out of the blue, but it's the truth. I don't even know if you're even in another relationship at the moment, but it's something I really needed to get off my chest."

"How long have you felt this way? Does Laura know?"

"I've felt this way for a few years now, I think. It just hit me one day, you know? I just looked at you and I thought "I never realised how beautiful she is"… And no, I haven't told Laura. Or anyone else. I've tried to tell you for such a long time, but my nerves always got the best of me. But by the time I finally decided to tell you, you were about to move. I was beating myself up over it pretty badly. I just kept saying to myself, "If only I'd done it sooner. I wish I told her earlier.", and I regretted it. That's why I wanted to tell you now, even though I know you're now living overseas. I just… wanted you to know."

"I-I think I should be on my way. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay. I'm sorry I said that to you. Try to forget about it, okay?"

"Maybe. We'll see."

I walked away and continued on my way to Cassie's apartment, still a little shaken up at Chris' confession. I still couldn't believe he said that… How could he possibly just tell me to forget it?

…...

That meeting occupied my thoughts for the entire evening. After the initial shock, I started to wonder. Chris had always been a great friend. I remembered back to my childhood, and all the times he was there for me. Like the time I tripped over and grazed my knee, and he put a plaster over it. And all the times he cheered me up when I was feeling down. And even the time when he agreed to be a dress up dummy for me and Laura. He probably regretted it later, but dressing him up in Mom's old clothes was damn funny. It made me realise- maybe I could have some kind of romantic relationship with him. I knew he cared a lot about me, and I felt the same way about him. Maybe we could even work around the fact that we'd spend most of our time apart, as well. And best of all- if I dated him, that would wipe out any thoughts I had of being in love with Megumi. It would be a perfectly normal, heterosexual relationship. There'd no longer be any need to talk to Cassie, or Mom and Dad about it, either. Not only that, but I could still be friends with Megumi without worrying about any feelings of being in love with her. I could now look her in the eye and apologise for the way I treated her those few weeks back. Yeah, I think it could work! Okay, I'll tell Chris tomorrow that I'd love to go out with him. Now that I'd reached a decision, my mind finally started to feel a lot clearer now, with all the confusion from the last few weeks ago disappearing. I felt like I could actually think straight now!

Or so I thought, before I went to bed.

I woke up that night to find myself standing in a street, clad in only my pyjamas and dressing gown. This was obviously another dream… As I took in my surroundings, I could hear a faint noise coming from nearby. It sounded like someone was crying. I followed the sound to a nearby alley, and went through it. Halfway across, I found the source of the noise. It was Megumi, sitting down with her face buried in her arms, which were resting on her knees. She was definitely sobbing into her arms.

"Megumi? Is something wrong?"

"I-I don't understand…" said Megumi, not moving from her position. "What are you so afraid of? Why are you so afraid of being in love with me? What is it about it that scares you so much?"

I felt a great deal of sadness in her voice. She sounded so upset.

"N-nothing." I said. "It's just… not what I want. I don't want to be like that."

"Is that why you're rushing into a relationship with Chris? Because you don't want to go out with me?"

"Megumi! How could you say something so awful?" I snapped. "You're just crying because I don't want to be your girlfriend, aren't you?"

"No! That's not it at all!" said Megumi, standing up. Her face was almost red from the amount of tears.

"Tara, please listen to me. I love you. I have no doubt that Chris does as well. And I know you both care deeply for one another. But do you actually love Chris?"

"Well… I… He- he's been one of my best friends ever since we were kids. We were nearly inseparable."

"But friendship isn't the same as love. You really like him, but do you LOVE him?"

"I… I…"

I thought for a moment, but I couldn't answer Megumi's question.

"That's just my point." she said. "Look, what I'm about to say is very important. All I want is for you to be happy. Even if it's not with me. I accept that. But you can't just rush into a relationship without thinking just because a boy says he loves you, and you don't like the idea of dating another girl. If you do that, you're only going to end up breaking Chris' heart, and hurting your own feelings."

"What makes you think I haven't thought this through? It's all I've been thinking of tonight!"

"That doesn't mean you've thought about it properly. You think that you can work around the fact that you'll be miles apart most of the time, but have you ever thought about how? Especially as you're unsure about whether or not you really love him yourself? More than anything, what you've thought about more than anything is that you want this because you're so desperate to convince yourself that you aren't gay. Not because you actually love him. That's the real reason I'm crying. Because you're so desperate to run away from your feelings that you're prepared to hurt yourself and Chris to do so."

"B-but… I…"

My mind was beginning to cloud over again. Did I really want to date Chris only so I could stop thinking about dating Megumi? I was starting to realise- this wasn't so much Megumi I was talking to here, more like a manifestation of my true feelings. She walked over to me and put her arms around me.

"You're being silly over this. I wouldn't mind if you were dating Chris because you genuinely loved him. It's not my place to tell you who you can and can't date. But again, you're only doing this because you're so afraid of having a relationship with me. I ask again- what is it about being in love with me that scares you so much? You haven't even thought about it that much. Not really. All you've been thinking about is how much you don't want to date another girl, but you've never really thought about why you don't want to. How do you know this isn't what you want? I could make you so happy…"

"And Chris couldn't?"

"He'd do his best. That can't be denied. But unless you truly love him in return, it won't do much for you, especially since it'll be a long distance relationship. Tara, I beg you- please don't agree to date Chris unless you're certain you love him. Remember what Laura said- listen to your heart. You need to figure out who you truly love- me, Chris or neither of us. I know you'll figure it out sometime. And regardless of your decision, I'll always be your friend, as Chris will be. Please think about what I've said…"

With that, I blacked out. When I came to, I was back in bed, sweating a little. Damn. Just when I thought I found a solution to my problem, my conscience tells me it's a bad idea. So I'm back at square one. Maybe I'm a little bit further down than even that- there are now two people that I have no idea if I'm in love with or not… So, what now? It was still pretty early- 3:17am if the clock in the room was anything to go by. I should really get some more sleep. I'll be meeting everyone at Central Park tomorrow, so I should just concentrate on that, and try and talk to Cassie later on in the day. I'm here to enjoy myself, after all. I can think about my problems some other time.

…...

I woke up again to the sound of rain. It was coming down pretty hard too. Mind you, the weather forecast did say it was going to rain for much of today. Oh well, I'm sure it wouldn't put a damper on our day. Within the hour, I was ready to set off again. Cassie had cooked a delicious breakfast for me, one that really filled me up, so there wouldn't be any need to eat again until lunch. Now that I had eaten, I thought I'd contact Laura to let her know I was on my way out. I rang her, but there was no answer. Hmmm, that was odd. Her cell phone never leaves her side, and she never turns it off. Why isn't she answering? It was 10 o' clock as well, and Laura wasn't known for lying in. Maybe her phone is out of charge or something. I decided to try Chris instead. But there was no answer from him, either. Chris wasn't quite as inseparable from his phone as Laura was from hers, but he still always takes it with him. Geez, has he overslept or something? I wouldn't put it past him, but then again, he isn't THAT bad. I had a bad feeling about this for some reason, I didn't know why. Maybe being a Kampfer gave some kind if sixth sense about these sorts of things, Or maybe I was just being paranoid. Yeah, that's it. I'm just thinking to much. I doubt anything bad happened to them. My mind at ease, I threw on my jacket and grabbed my umbrella before heading out.

The rain continued to come down as I made my way to Central Park. Good thing my umbrella's very big and sturdy, otherwise I would have been soaked. However, since I was holding it fairly low down, I couldn't really see very much in front of me. It was inevitable, then, that I would walk into someone. And I nearly did.

"Whoa! Watch where you're going!" said the person I just narrowly missed. It turned out to be Steve!

"Ah! I'm so sorry, Steve! I didn't see you there!" I said, kind of embarrassed. Looking over, I saw Jane and Sara with him.

"Oh, it's you, Taz. You okay?"

"Yeah. I'm really sorry for nearly running you down back there…"

"That's okay. Just try and hold that thing up a little higher so you can see where you're going next time." said Steve, smiling.

"I will. So, Laura and Chris aren't with you?"

"No. We haven't heard from them since yesterday." said Jane. "We tried calling them both this morning, but we didn't get any answer from either of them. Have you seen them?"

"No, I was hoping they'd be with you. That's kind of worrying, actually. I called them this morning too, but I also got nothing. At the very least, it's unlike Laura not to answer a call… I wonder if something happened to them?"

"I doubt it." said Steve. "Laura spends so much time with her phone that she needs to charge it constantly. Or she's out of credit. Chris never leaves his phone on- he only ever uses it in emergencies. So I'm not surprised he didn't answer. I'm willing to bet they're both at the zoo already, and Laura's dragged Chris into that rainforest place. We all know she likes her bugs…"

As Steve spoke, I saw Sara speaking on her mobile. She soon turned it off and put it away.

"I just spoke to Chris' mom." she said. "Apparently, he left an hour ago with Laura. So they're both out. Steve's right. Maybe they're just at the zoo."

"I think we should get going, then." I said. "We can look for them when we get there."

Everyone nodded.

…...

We got to Central Park shortly after we set off again, and spent the next twenty minutes wandering around the zoo looking for Laura and Chris. Due to the rain, there weren't a huge amount of people there, so it wouldn't have been to hard to find them. But there was no trace of them. We searched everywhere, but still, nothing. Where the hell where they? We decided to look outside of the zoo, and no sooner had we done that, had Sara found something on the grass in a nearby field.

"Hey… What's this?" she asked, walking over to it and picking it up. It was a green cell phone, which had a small figure of Lettuce from Tokyo Mew Mew attached to it. This was bad. The phone was Laura's. And she wouldn't have just dropped it like that…

"Okay, this is freaking me out now." said Jane. "If Laura's cell phone is here on the ground, that could only mean…"

"Yeah." said Steve. "Something bad happened to her, and maybe Chris, too. Maybe we should go to the police."

"Good idea." I said. "I really don't like this at all…"

"Awww, what's the matter? You losers missing someone?" said a familiar voice from behind us.

"Oh, no…" said Jane. "PLEASE don't tell me that's…"

We turned around to face Josie, who had a deeply unpleasant smirk on her face.

"Dammit, Josie, we don't have time to deal with you right now!" said Steve. "In case you haven't noticed, we ARE missing someone, so if you don't mind, we're going to try and look for them. Come on, we should go. She's not worth it."

We turned around again to see some of Josie's lackeys behind us, blocking our way.

"Oh, I do mind. You're not going anywhere for a while. Especially not Goodman!"

Wait- what? She's here for me? But why?

"You're really pushing it now, Josie! Just piss off and leave us alone!" shouted Steve.

"You should really be careful what you say. After all, you don't want anything bad happening to Laura and Chris now, would you?" said Josie, snapping her fingers. As if on cue, another two of her lackeys came out of the bushes, carrying Laura and Chris. They both looked pretty beat up. Crap, so that's what happened to them.

"My god. What have you done to them?" I said. "And why are you after me, in particular?"

"Because, my dear Goodman, I finally have the chance to humiliate you! You've always been so weird. A total coward, unable to stand up for anyone, and yet when people end up picking on you, you just shrug it off like it's nothing. People call you names, it just goes out one ear and out the other. No wonder everyone who tried gave up on bullying you. But now… I have a perfect way of making you squirm! You see, you know how much I hate you. You get all the boys drooling over you, while no one ever asks me out! You've always been more popular than I am, and it makes me sick! And to top it all off, you're so unflappable when it comes to being picked on yourself! The fact that you now have the guts to stand up to me makes me even madder!"

That was true. Some people called me names in my early days of high school, but I always ignored it. I never knew why I was so calm about it. I guess I just knew it wasn't worth bothering with. That was why I wasn't picked on at school. Because the ones who did gave up on me a long time ago. Like Josie said, I may have been a coward, but when it came to humiliation, I was always able to laugh it off. I never understood why. Maybe I was strong in that regard.

"But that changes today! Because I know your biggest secret. The one you don't want anyone else to know!"

Shit- she couldn't possibly mean-

That's right Goodman. I overheard your little chat with Laura yesterday afternoon, and I knew right away that it would be just the thing I needed to finally put you in your place! When I saw your friends this morning, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to make my move against you!"

"They- they jumped us when we least expected it… We didn't stand a chance…" said Chris. One of the other lackeys responded by punching him in the stomach.

"C-Chris!" whimpered Sara. For fuck's sake, Josie, you've really over stepped the line this time…

"Leave them alone! If it's me you want, leave my friends out of this!" I said.

"Oh, but where's the fun in that?" said Josie. "Your humiliation will be even more fun when they discover the truth about you!"

"Taz… What's she talking about?" said Jane.

"N-nothing. I don't know what she means." I said.

"Oh, you know, all right." said Josie. "And I'm going to force you to tell them right now!"

Another lackey then grabbed me from behind. Steve moved forwards to help, but Josie spoke again…

"I wouldn't go any further." she said. "If you dare try and help anyone, Laura and Chris are gonna take even more of a pounding. Try not to insult me either, as that'll make things even worse!"

Steve grunted.

"Now then, let's get down to business, shall we?" said Josie, walking up to Laura, opening her jacket and taking something out of the back pocket. The photos from the Cultural Festival! Dammit, now I really knew what this was about. Josie started look through the photos.

"So, which one's Megumi?" she asked. "You better tell me, Goodman…"

"Like I'm really going to tell you!" I shouted.

"Sorry, wrong answer!" said Josie, who snapped her fingers again. Yet another lackey punched Laura in the face. That little bitch… How dare she… Everyone could do nothing else but watch. Dammit, I really should go Kampfer on Josie's ass. Maybe that'd scare her off. But I can't transform with so many people watching…

"Now, let's try this again." said Josie. "Which one's Megumi?"

"Grrr… The… The one with purple hair. Wearing a Gothic Lolita dress…" I said.

"Hmmm. Now we're getting somewhere." said Josie, searching through the rest of the photos. She found the one she was looking for, and showed it to me. The one with me, Shizuku and Megumi in it…

"A-ha! So this is her, yes? The one on the right? Can't really see why you'd fall for a whore like her."

"Wait…" said Jane. "Did I hear that right?"

"Why don't you tell her, Goodman?" said Josie. "Why don't you tell everyone? I'm sure they'd just love to hear about your feelings for this Megumi girl…"

"Fuck off, Josie. I don't feel that way about her!" I said. The lackey holding onto me pushed me forward, knocking me on the ground. She then pulled me onto my knees by pulling my hair, then held me in place by the scruff of my jacket. Josie walked over to me and kneeled down, so she was face to face with me.

"Tell them. NOW!"

"NO! I just told you, I'm not like that!"

Josie slapped me around the face, her eyes getting angrier by the second.

"If you don't tell them right now, Chris and Laura are gonna end up on life support. Maybe even worse. So, what's it going to be? Are you really prepared to let your dear friends get the crap beaten out of them just for the sake of keeping a secret? So, why not tell them what you are?"

I still wasn't sure of how I felt about Megumi. But there wasn't any other way out of this.. Chris and Laura had suffered enough…

"I- I'm a lesbian…" I said, quietly. Josie slapped me around the face again.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear that." she said. "Say it louder!"

"I'm a lesbian!" I shouted, sobbing. Josie stood up, quite pleased with herself. The lackey that was holding me in place pushed me down onto the soggy grass. Still on the ground, I looked over to Chris and Laura. As I already told Laura about Megumi, she didn't react to what I'd just said. However, she was still clearly upset at what had just happened. Chris, on the other hand, was speechless, as were Jane, Steve and Sara.

"Taz… Is this true? Are you really in love with that girl?" said Chris.

"I-I don't know." I said. "Part of me thinks I'm in love with Megumi, but… I still don't know for sure."

Upon hearing this, Josie kicked me in the shoulder.

"Don't lie! You know exactly how you feel about her. You just confessed, didn't you? Or were you lying? Because if you were…"

Josie gave a hand signal, and the lackey who was holding on to Chris came towards her. She handed Chris over to Josie, who then gripped him hard.

"Josie… No… Leave him out of this…" I said, weakly. My shoulder was still in pain after that kick.

"So, let's try this again, shall we? You just admitted you're a lesbian. You say you're in love with the slut in this photo. Do you mean it? If you don't answer me NOW, I'm going to personally put Chris in a wheelchair myself. Do you love that whore? Or do you think she's a slut, too? She certainly looks like one. I mean, get a load of those boobs! How can anyone walk around with breasts like that? It's not human!"

At that point, something exploded in me. Something similar to when I saw those bullies beating up that boy back when I started training with Megumi. Josie had gone too far this time. Forcing me to admit feelings I was unsure of was bad enough, but threatening my friends, and insulting Megumi? That was the last straw. In a fit of anger, I got up from the ground and grabbed Josie by her wrist. But what I said next… It came right out of my mouth without realising. It was at this point where I realised my true feelings…

"Let me tell you…" I started, "…about the girl that I love."

"H-hey! Let go of me!" yelled Josie, not entirely sure what came over me. I continued.

"Megumi… is extremely beautiful. She's kind, caring, affectionate, loving, considerate, and always treats others with respect. She always looks after the people she cares about. She always has your back. She's smart, elegant, talented and strong. She's trustworthy, and trusting in return. She's understanding, and playful. Most of all, she is everything you could never hope to be in a million years! She's a wonderful person, and I love her so much. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. Not anymore. So if you want to bring me down, you're gonna have to find another way to do it!"

Josie looked shocked at what I just said. To be honest, so did I. Did I just say I loved Megumi? There was no doubt about it- I did. And what's more, I actually MEANT it! I couldn't believe it. I finally knew how I really felt about Megumi. And it felt good. This time, my mind really had started to clear up, and I felt so much better. As for Josie… Well, she was still so gobsmacked at my boldness, that she lost her grip on Chris, who quickly moved to my side.

"You… really do love her, don't you?" he said.

"Yes. Yes I do." I said. "I know now more than ever. Chris… I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry about that right now." said Chris. "We still need to deal with this bitch…"

"Yeah, you're right." I said, before turning to Josie, who I was still gripping by the wrist.

"You know why no one wants to go out with you?" I asked her. "It's because no one likes you. No one wants to date a nasty, unpleasant little bitch like you! You spend so much time picking on people, thinking it makes you look big. But it doesn't. The truth is, you turn people right off. Even your so called "friends" abandon you when things start to go wrong. Take a look around you…"

Josie looked around, and saw that nearly all of her lackeys had run off! The only one that stayed behind was the one that had Laura. However, Laura used that opportunity to smack her captor in the chin with her elbow, freeing her. She then ran to my side along with Chris.

"You…You…" said Josie, who was getting pretty mad.

"Face it, Josie." said Laura. "Taz isn't bothered by you. None of us are. And we aren't going to let you get away with threatening us, either!"

"Do yourself a favour and get out of here." I told Josie in a very calm and confident way. "This isn't the first time I've dealt with bullies, you know. I took on a batch back in Japan. You want to know what I did to them? Let's just say, one of them now has an arm in a sling, several missing teeth, a broken nose and constant stomach pains. I don't really want to do the same to you, no matter how tempting it is…"

"You're lying! You couldn't possibly…"

"Do I look like I'm lying? Or maybe you want to see for yourself if I am… If you don't, then get the fuck out of here! And maybe you should take in what I told you, and think about everything you've done. Maybe you'll become a better person for it."

"Okay, okay- I'll go. I don't want to find out if you're telling the truth or not…"

With that, I let go of Josie, and she ran off. You know, in a way, I should thank her. It was because of her that I finally wasn't confused any more. I really was in love with Megumi, and I wanted to be with her. Also, once I got back to Japan, I could now look her in the eye and apologise for what I said to her before. Finally, I also managed to stand up to a bully without relying on my Kampfer power. My mind was thinking about it so much after realising this, that I jumped when Laura tapped my shoulder.

"Hey, nice work." she said. "You really scared the shit of her. Too bad about the photos, though…"

I looked around, and saw that all the photos that I sent Laura were scattered around the floor, soaking wet and ruined from the rain. Feeling a sudden and slight chill, I just realised that I was soaking wet too! Everyone else was as well. After all that, I guess we forgot that it was still raining.

"That's okay." I said. "They're only photos. The important thing is, are you and Chris all right?"

"Yeah. We're all made of tougher stuff than we look. We did take quite a beating though, huh?"

"What happened exactly? How'd you both get grabbed, anyway?"

"Well," said Chris, "We just entered Central Park when we were both jumped by Josie's gang. As she said, they must have seen us while we were on our way there, and followed us, looking for the chance to make their move. We tried to fight them off, but in the end we were overwhelmed, and we got caught. I'm just glad everything worked out in the end though."

"Speak for yourself!" said Jane, approaching us with Steve and Sara. "We all got soaked thanks to that jerk! Taz is covered in mud, too! Although… I'm glad there weren't any serious injuries. Is your shoulder okay, Taz?"

I looked down at my clothes and saw that there really was a lot of mud on them. Must have happened when I was on the ground…

"It's okay. It'll clear up in a few days. And the mud? It could have been worse." I said.

"Yeah, you'll walk it off soon enough." said Steve. "But hey- can we talk about you and Megumi for a sec? You serious about being in love with her?"

"Absolutely." I said, smiling. "To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure if I was until now, but now it's clear to me. I do love her. She's really special to me."

"I certainly wasn't expecting that." said Sara. "But you know what? I think it's pretty cool. I like that you've made your own decision on who you want to be with, and not restrict yourself to any particular person or gender. You're a very independent person."

"Yeah. The fact that you're a lesbian doesn't change what I think about you. You've always been a good friend, and that's how it's gonna stay!" said Jane, hugging me.

"I think I can already feel the hopes and dreams of the rest of us guys fading away…" said Steve. "Oh well, it's your call. You love this girl, and she's definitely a babe, so it's not like you made a bad choice. But does she actually know you love her?"

"Not yet." I said. "But she is in love with me, so confessing to her will be easy. Hopefully. But hey, I can worry about that when I get back home. For now, I'm just going to enjoy the time I have here."

"Are you going to tell your family?" asked Sara. Oh yeah, that's a thought. Now that I know I'm a lesbian, I'll have to tell Mom and Dad sometime, as well as Cassie…

"Yeah. I think I'll do that when I get back, actually. I was going to talk to Cassie about this anyway, so now's as good a time as any."

"Heh. Maybe we should all go back for now." said Laura. "I think we're all in need of a shower after the soaking we got. Shall we try this again tomorrow?"

"You mean coming back here? Sure. Let's meet here again tomorrow, then." I said.

"Sounds good to me." Laura replied. "Actually, Taz- do you want us to come with you when you speak to your parents about your coming out? Maybe it'll be easier to talk when we're there with you."

I could see everyone nodding. They clearly all agreed with Laura.

"Thanks guys, but I think this is something I should do myself. I appreciate it, though!"

"No worries Think nothing of it. Well, see you all later! Good luck, Taz!"

We all went our separate ways, and I headed back to Cassie's. I had a big chat ahead of me…

…...

The rain was still coming down really hard by the time I got back. On the plus side, it at least gave me the chance to wipe the mud from my face- though my clothes were still covered in the stuff. I got quite a few funny looks on the way home. I didn't even bother having my umbrella up, since I was already so badly soaked. My shoulder was also still aching as well, but it was nothing compared to the graze I had back when I fought Akane that second time. I knew my parents and Cassie where in for a shock when they opened the door to me, and as ever, I was right.

"Back so soon?" asked Cassie. "That was qui- Jesus! What happened to you?"

Mom and Dad were also quick to notice.

"Tara!" said Mom. "You're wet and filthy! Did something bad happen?"

"Well, my friends and I ran into Josie at central Park, and she did beat us up a bit. I wouldn't worry though- She ended up much worse than we did."

"You didn't beat her up, did you?" asked Dad.

"Nah. More like we bruised her ego. I just stood up to her, and she didn't take it too well. Once a bully knows that they can't hurt someone, they won't stick around." I said, smiling.

"Just so long as you didn't resort to violence." said Cassie. "I think you should have a quick shower, and put your clothes in the wash. I'll make some hot cocoa for you while you're doing that."

"Thanks, Cassie."

I quickly threw my wet and dirty clothes in with the washing, and had my shower. Now back in clean, comfortable clothes, I sat down with Mom and Dad. Cassie had just finished making the cocoa, and handed it to me. I thanked her and took a few sips. It tasted wonderful, so rich and creamy. But now, I had some business to take care of…

"You feeling better now?" said Mom.

"Much, thanks." I said. "A-actually… Um… Mom… Dad… Cassie… There's something I need to talk to you all about."

"Hm? Is something on your mind?" said Dad.

"Oh, come on. This is Tara! She always has something on her mind!" said Cassie. "So, what do you want to tell us?"

"Well…" I said. "I hope you won't be too mad about this… But… I'm gay."

Mom, Dad and Cassie fell silent for a short while, until Mom spoke up.

"You're gay? As in, you're in love with another girl?"

"Yeah." I said. "It's Megumi I fell in love with. She's actually been in love with me for a while, maybe ever since we first met. But a few weeks ago, I began to feel the same way about her. I didn't know if that was really how I felt until this morning. But for a while, I was so confused about it. So much so that I even pushed Megumi away, and told her to stay away from me. I really hurt her feelings that day, and I feel so bad about it. But I couldn't bring myself to apologise to her until I felt I could face her again. But now, I know for certain that I love her. I just wanted to tell you that."

"You said that you didn't make your mind up until today. Did Josie have anything to do with this?"

"She did, yeah. I told Laura about it yesterday, and Josie overheard us. She then tried to make me confess in front of everyone else this morning, and even threatened to beat up Laura and Chris if I didn't. She even had the nerve to insult Megumi, and it was then when I realised how much I loved her. So I got up and defended her honour, I guess. I guess it was thanks to Josie that I finally figured it all out. I know you must be shocked to hear about this, but it's what I want. I love Megumi, and that's that, no matter what you may think."

Mom walked over and sat down next to me, holding my hand.

"Thanks for telling us." she said. "In truth though, we don't care about who you decide to go out with. It's your life, and you should live it the way you feel is best. We'll always be proud of you, no matter what. I know Megumi's a wonderful girl, and she'll definitely take good care of you. Just make sure you tell her that when we get home, okay?"

Dad and Cassie smiled, clearly agreeing.

"Thanks Mom. I'll make sure to do that!"

I gave Mom a big hug. I was glad this didn't change how my family saw me in their eyes.

"Hey, how about some lunch?" said Cassie. "I'll let you finish off that cocoa, and I'll get started."

"Lunch sounds good." I said. "I'm starving."

"I'm not surprised, after what you've just been through." said Dad. "I'm just glad you're alright. Looks like Cassie was right- you really are a much stronger person than you were before. I don't think you would have come out and told us all this in the past."

"I know. I still can't believe how much I've changed myself." I said. I really couldn't.

…...

The evening came, and following dinner, I slouched in front of the TV, watching the news. Suddenly, I heard my cell phone ringing. I took it out of my pocket and looked at it- it was Chris!

"Hi Chris. How're you doing now? Feeling better?"

"Yup, nothing that won't heal in a few days." he said. "What about you? Did you talk to your family about Megumi?"

"Sure did. I think they were a little surprised at first, but Mom said they'll always be proud of me, no matter what I do. I think everything's going to turn out alright. Although… Chris… I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this earlier… I know you're in love with me, and-"

"Don't give it another thought. I still do love you, but all I really want is for you to be happy. I know you and Megumi will make a great couple. It may not be conventional, but you love each other, and that's the important thing. I wish you both the best of luck."

"Thanks. Oh yeah, now that I think about it, did Sara give Laura her cell phone back? She found it on the ground shortly before Josie showed up."

"No, Sara still has it. After all the commotion, she forgot she still had it. She's giving it back to her tomorrow."

"That's good. So, I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

"Sure will. Let's just hope it goes better than today, huh?"

"It will. I'm sure of it. See ya!"

"Bye."

I ended the call and put my phone away. I suppose I should have felt sorry for Chris. After all, he fell in love with me first, and couldn't tell me until it was too late. But he was genuinely happy for me, so why feel sorry? I knew he'd be strong enough to get over me and find someone else. Maybe even Laura? Nah, maybe not. In the meantime, my thoughts briefly turned towards Megumi. I now knew I was in love with her, but I now had to tell her that in person, not to mention say sorry for the way I acted towards her. But I can't do that until I go home, so there was no need to worry about that for now. Right now, I was here to enjoy myself with my friends, and I intended to do just that!


	14. Chapter 14: Confession

**After that rather eventful last chapter, chapter 14 sees Tara returning to Japan. The question is, can she confess her feelings for Megumi? You'll just have to read on to find out. We learn a lot more about Megumi's past in this chapter, and with it, the tone begins to darken somewhat. Needless to say, what we learn in this chapter will be given more focus in both the sequels to this fanfic. It won't be the last we hear of this!**

**We're also approaching the finale to this part of the story. The next chapter will be the last in Battle Against Fate, and it should hopefully be worth waiting for. **

**As ever please read and review! **

**Disclaimer- I do not own Kampfer. **

Chapter fourteen- Confession

The next week flew by, and by Monday, I was back in the airport, ready to go back to my life in Japan. That was both a bad thing and a good thing. Bad because, that run in with Josie aside, I was really enjoying my time back in New York. Good because I was really looking forward to seeing Megumi again, so I could finally tell her that I loved her. As much as I couldn't wait to see her, and the rest of my friends in Japan again though, I was still sad to leave Laura and the rest of the gang. Thankfully, they decided to come to the airport with me to see me off, so I'd get to see them one last time before I left. We all sat together in the departures lounge until we realised just how bored we were, so we went to the bar and had something to eat while chatting amongst ourselves. Eventually, Cassie showed up to tell me that our plane was now being boarded. So, this really was it. Back to my home away from home. I met up with Mom and Dad at the entrance to the plane and said my last goodbyes to my friends.

"You guys take care of yourselves, okay?" I said.

"You know we will." said Jane. "Take care of yourself, too."

"It's almost a shame you can't stay longer." said Sara. "But still, it's been great having you back!"

"It's been fun." said Steve. "Though I will beat you at DDR someday!"

I laughed. Steve and I had always had a friendly rivalry at that game, and I've almost never lost.

"Yeah, right. Maybe once you've learned some new moves…" I quipped.

"Come back soon, okay?" said Laura, giving me a hug. "I'll keep writing to you, of course. If there's anything you want, tell me and I'll try and send it to you!"

"Thanks. I appreciate that."

"Just make sure you talk to Megumi when you get back." said Chris. "I'm sure she's been looking forward to seeing you again, and I'll bet she'll be more than happy when you confess to her."

"I will. Don't you worry about that." I said.

"I know you will, and I hope it'll be a long and happy relationship. You deserve it."

Chris smiled as he said that. Considering how much he loved me himself, I had to give him credit for taking this so well. That's the sign of a true friend. I quickly moved towards Cassie and gave her a big hug.

"See you later, sis." I said.

"Yeah, you too." said Cassie. "I hope that things turn out alright between you and Megumi too. Anyway, you'd better get going, otherwise the plane will leave without you!"

"Yeah, you're right. Bye!" I said, making my way towards the entrance of the plane. I waved to everybody as I did, and kept doing so until they were out of sight. I couldn't help but feel a little teary eyed as I boarded the plane. I was really going to miss everyone, not to mention Cassie's meals! But there was someone back in Japan who would make me feel better about going back. I couldn't wait to see her again- and tell her how I felt about her.

…...

"C'mon, it's been two days already! I thought you were going to tell Megumi as soon as you got back!" said, Pierced Sea Turtle, who was watching me lie on my bed while playing on my PSP. It had actually been a day and a half since we got back home, and I spent most of that time sleeping- due to some serious jetlag- and unpacking. I was still feeling a little sleepy right now, though I was more alert than I was the previous day.

"Hey, it's not like I really want to wait to talk to her. I've just had a long and tiring journey, and I haven't fully recovered from it yet."

"So, you haven't recovered from sitting down all the time, then? Never heard of anything like that…"

"I may have been sitting down for nearly the whole journey, but I've also been awake for the whole thing as well. Then there's the whole time difference between New York and Tokyo, which doesn't help me much…"

"Oh, come on. Just admit that you're afraid of talking to Megumi right now. It's okay, you can tell me!"

"Okay, I'll tell you. I'm NOT afraid of talking to her, but I've been too tired to do anything. I'm not going to confess my love to her while half asleep. I'm sure you'll agree that isn't very romantic. I've been thinking of meeting up with her later on this afternoon if I'm feeling up to it, and I am feeling better right now. So you never know, today just might be the day! So just hold your horses…"

I turned my PSP off and rested my head on my pillow. As I laid there, I thought about everything that Megumi had done for me, and all the things we did together. I got such a warm and pleasant feeling every time I thought about her. Looking back, I really wondered why I was so reluctant to feel this way before. I should have just accepted my feelings from the start, instead of constantly torturing myself trying to convince myself it wasn't what I wanted. But it was, and I felt a lot better for realising it. I then ended up thinking back to those two sexy dreams I had about her. Even now, thinking about them really turned me on. Eventually, I cracked. That was it. I was going to see Megumi right now! I had to tell her how much I loved her. I picked up my cell phone to give her a call, but it was out of charge. Shit, I knew I forgot to do something… Well, guess I'll just have to go to Megumi's place unannounced! I plugged my phone to the charger and left my room, but not before Pierced Sea Turtle opened her mouth…

"Going out? To see Megumi, I'll bet."

"Yup." I smiled. "I can't take it anymore. I want to see her right now! Wish me luck!"

"Ha! Go get her, Tiger!"

I quickly walked out of the house and made my way to Megumi's home. When I got there, I suddenly felt a huge surge of adrenaline. This was it. I was about to confess my love right here and now! Of course, I also needed to apologise to her for what I said to her the last time we met as well… I excitedly knocked on the door and waited for an answer. But there wasn't one. I knocked again, but still, no one answered the door. She's probably out… Just then, I heard a small thud close to me. Was it her? I turned around, and saw a cute ginger cat. So that's what that sound was. It must have jumped down from the fence. I walked over to the cat and petted it. It seemed to be pretty affectionate, and it was enjoying the attention I was giving it. I wondered if it belonged to Megumi? It was pretty obvious she wasn't here, so I decided to head for the shopping district. If she was anywhere, it'd be there.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find her there, either. I asked around about her, since she was well known around there, but not even they knew where she was. I began to wonder if she was okay. I then tried the park, no sign of her there, either. I decided to check back at her house to see if she'd come back. Going through the park, I passed the nearby graveyard and saw a purple haired girl standing by two of the graves. Wait a second- purple hair? I stopped and took a better look at her. Light purple hair, black Gothic Lolita dress… It could only be Megumi! I found her! But what was she doing here? I noticed she was carrying a bouquet of flowers in her arms, which she then placed on the grave on the right. Oh yeah, now that I thought about it, didn't she say her parents were dead? Were those their graves? As Megumi looked at them, I walked over to her.

"Megumi… Are those your parents' graves?" I quietly said, jolting her slightly. She turned around to face me. She was surprised, but not unhappy to see me.

"Tara? I thought you were in New York?"

"Only for a week. I came back a few days ago. I'm sorry I startled you like that…"

"It's okay. I wasn't paying much attention, so I didn't notice you show up. Is that a new outfit you're wearing? It looks good on you. I love your hairpin, too."

"Thanks. My sister gave me this outfit while I was at home last week. Have I interrupted you here?"

"No, not really. Actually… I really appreciate you being here…"

I stayed silent as Megumi turned her attention back to the two graves she was standing in front of.

"It's been four years and six months since their deaths. I believe I already told you that?" she continued. "I come here every six months to pay my respects to them, and my brother as well…"

I walked up to the graves and took a look at them. They both had a bouquet of flowers set besides them, and there was a third bouquet in between them.

"You had a brother?" I asked. I guessed the third bouquet was for him.

"Yes. An older one. He would have been twenty nine years old if he were still alive. I was very close to my parents, but I was closer still to my brother. I adored him. He played with me all the time when I was little, and was always supportive of me when I was in school. He always encouraged me to do my best. I loved him so much. Then he graduated from university. He always had a keen interest in archaeology, even when he was younger, and it was a career path he wanted to pursue. He ended up getting a top job studying ancient ruins and the like for a museum in America. However, as a result, he didn't keep in contact with us. I kept thinking about him everyday, and longed for the day I could hear from him again. But then came that day… A day I'd never forget, no matter how hard I try…"

"What happened?"

"Well, I was in school at the time. I was in the middle of a geography lesson, when all of a sudden, the school principle came to my class, wanting to talk to me. We went to the principle's office, where I was surprised to see two police officers there as well. I think you can guess that I was really starting to worry at this point. And that was when the news was broken to me. My parents had been murdered by a then unknown gunman in our own home. From what the police could tell, the person responsible was someone who knew them, because witnesses said they heard an argument right before the killings. Luckily, the gunman had been so quick to make a getaway, he ran off in broad daylight, and several people saw him. A manhunt was announced, and thanks to the information given to them by those witnesses, the police quickly tracked him down to an abandoned apartment block. That evening, there was a tense standoff between the gunman and the police. He ended up opening fire on them several times, and there was nothing else they could do except fire back. He was ultimately gunned down and killed. I had spent that evening in the police station, since they feared that I could be a target for him as well. While I was there, I watched everything unfold on the news, and when the gunman was announced dead, I felt relived. But then they announced his identity. It… it was my brother. The man who murdered my parents was my own brother. Their own son…"

Megumi broke down into tears.

"It turned out that the apartment block where he was killed was the same one where he lived when he moved out of our parent's home. I used to go there all the time to see him. I never understood why he did it. Or why he returned to his old home to hide out. What could have caused him to do something so awful?"

I put my arm around her.

"Megumi… I… I couldn't possibly begin to imagine how that must have felt. Do you think it had something to do with the Kampfer battles?"

"I thought that too, when I became a Kampfer myself." said Megumi, still in tears. "But Frozen Polar Bear said the battles began a few years ago, after my family died. It was most likely a separate incident. I… I just wish I knew the truth…"

"So, your brother wasn't buried with your mom and dad?"

"No. He was going to, but too many people protested against it. They felt that my parents deserved better than to be buried alongside the person who killed them. But I still pay my respects to him, as well as Mom and Dad. I want to remember him for who he used to be, not what he became."

Megumi dried her eyes, looked at the bouquets one last time and turned to me.

"Well, I think that's enough of being moody for now. I'm going to head home now. Would you like to come? I'd love to hear about your time in New York."

"Yeah, sure. I'd love to!"

"Great! Then let's go!"

Megumi seemed genuinely happy to hear me say that. I guess having me around was a huge comfort to her right now. We both left the graveyard and made our way to Megumi's place.

…...

About halfway there, Megumi came to a stop.

"Hmmm? Is something up?" I asked.

"Actually, there is." replied Megumi. "I need to apologise to you for a few weeks ago. I don't know exactly what it was I did, but it seemed to-"

"Megumi, no!" I said, looking her in the eyes. "You have no right to do that when you have nothing to apologise for. The truth is, I'm the one who has to apologise. I was so horrible to you back then, and it wasn't your fault. I'm so sorry, Megumi. I shouldn't have acted like that. It was just… I was so confused back then."

"Really? About what?"

"Well… There's something I want to tell you… Megumi… I… I…"

"Tara! Look out!"

Megumi dived at me and knocked me down on the floor, just barely missing some kind of projectile that had been fired at us! We both looked forward to see two girls standing there. One of them had dark blue hair that had a clip in it, and looked kind of shy, despite the Uzi she was holding… The other had green hair with a big white ribbon. On both their wrists, they both sported a white bracelet. Great. Just what I need right now…

"You again!" said Megumi. Wait, she knew these two? Then again, she was attacked by two white Kampfers in the past. Were they the same ones?

"Don't look so surprised." said the green haired girl. "You know we're supposed to take out any Kampfer who refuses to fight. It's our duty- and you won't escape us that easily!"

"I-it's nothing personal…" said the blue haired girl, rather nervously. "We're only following orders. So please die this time…"

By this point, Megumi and I had transformed, and were ready to fight.

"Sorry, but we're not about to go down without a fight." I said. "If you think you're going to kill us, you've got another thing coming!"

"I guess so." said the green haired girl. "Your friend managed to beat us last time, but we'll see who comes out on top this time!"

With that, she produced an energy bolt out of thin air and threw it at us. Another Zauber type… We jumped out to opposite directions to dodge it.

"You okay, Tara?" called Megumi.

"Yeah, for now!" I called back. Another few energy bolts were fired at us, which we continued to dodge.

"Just so you know…" said Megumi, as she rolled to avoid another bolt, "The one who's throwing the projectiles is named Hitomi. The other one is Ryoka. These are the same ones who attacked me when a few weeks ago, while you were being attacked by that Schwert type. Looks like they decided to have a rematch…"

Ryoka started firing her Uzi at me, so I raised my sword to block them.

"Did they jump you last time?" I said, as the onslaught of bullets continued.

"Yeah. I was on my way to buy some more materials for a dress I was working on- that's why I couldn't go over to Sakura's place with Natsuru and the others, by the way- when they attacked me. When they mentioned that everyone else was a target for the white Kampfers, I naturally started to worry. After I beat them, I sensed another battle nearby, and I had a feeling it was you. So I decided to jump in and give you a hand." replied Megumi, while creating a set of icicles and throwing them at Hitomi. Unfortunately, she was able to break them with her Zauber power before they reached her.

"Yeah. And how did I say thanks? By treating you the way I did. I'm so sorry I said those awful things to you. I was in such a panic that I said it with out thinking…" I said, as I continued to block Ryoka's shots.

"Don't worry about it. I know you wouldn't really mean things like that. Although- UGH!"

One of Hitomi's attacks hit Megumi in the chest, sending her flying towards me. We both collided and ended up on the floor.

"This is bad…" said Megumi. "They're much stronger than before. We need to think of something, fast!"

"I know. But first… could you do something about your position?" I said. The way Megumi had fallen on me, she was sitting directly on my chest! And her skirt was right under my face too, giving me a full view of her panties. Very sexy, actually, despite…

"Oh! Sorry about that." said Megumi, getting up, then helping me up- just in time to dodge yet another attack from Hitomi. As I dodged, I picked up my sword, which I dropped when Megumi landed on me.

"So… Kittens and bunnies?" I asked Megumi.

"Eh?"

"Kittens and bunnies. You know, the design on your panties…"

Megumi blushed a little, though she wasn't too upset at the fact I saw her panties. In fact, I'd swear she even loved it!

"W-well… You know… I love animals, cats and rabbits are my favourites, and that design was really adorable… Did you like them?"

Before I could answer, our enemies launched another assault. As we narrowly avoided it, I decided to make a move on Ryoka, who was continuing to fire at us.

"Say, Megumi…" I said, as I charged towards Ryoka while deflecting her bullets with my sword. "What were you going to say before you got hit back there?

"Oh yeah, I nearly forgot about that.. Why were you in such a panic? What made you so on edge that you ended up acting the way you did?" asked Megumi, as she put her hand on the ground around Hitomi. It froze up, and Megumi then ran towards it and slid on it, quickly approaching her green haired assailant. Hitomi fired another energy bolt at her, but she ducked under it while still sliding on the ice. By then, she was close enough to make a direct attack- a chance she didn't miss. She gave Hitomi one hell of an uppercut, knocking her on the ground.

"To be honest, I don't know any more." I said, as I jumped to the side to dodge some more bullets. "I had… certain feelings towards you that I wasn't sure of. It was really freaking me out, and you being around me just made it worse. That's why I told you to go away…" I continued my rush towards Ryoka, and once I got close enough, I plunged my sword into the ground, vaulted over it, and planted the back of my foot on the top of her head.

"Feelings? What feelings would those be?" asked Megumi. As soon as she said that, Hitomi used her Zauber right next to her, sending her into the air again. I could see that she would have a rough landing, so I pulled my sword out of the ground and threw it to the spot where she was going to land. Miraculously, it managed to plant itself in the ground just above her. Megumi saw what I was trying to do and managed to land on top of the handle. At this point, Ryoka had gotten up, and was about to aim her Uzi at me. A new idea formed in my head. I quickly raised my hands in the air.

"Megumi! Quick! Freeze my hands!" I shouted. Megumi didn't seem to understand, but she nodded and used her Zauber power to do as I asked. The ice quickly formed around my fists, creating what could best be described as icy boxing gloves. Very hard ones at that. Ryoka started firing at me again, but such was the strength of the ice around my fists, the bullets just got lodged in them. I then gave Ryoka a huge uppercut of my own, disarming her and sending her back down.

"Dammit! Ryoka!" said Hitomi, firing another bolt at Megumi before running to her fallen partner's side. Megumi dodged and pulled out my sword, which she then carried over to me. In the meantime, I bashed the ice around my fists together, finally braking it after a few attempts. Unsurprisingly, my hands felt both cold and numb as hell after all that, but I wasn't about to let that slow me down…

"Phew!" said Megumi, handing my sword back to me. "That thing's heavy! How do you carry it around so easily?"

"I don't know…" I said. "Maybe I'm better made for it since I'm a Schwert type. Since you're a Zauber, you probably have less physical strength than I do. Just a guess… Say, I have another idea. Think you could ice up my sword?"

"Sounds like a plan. But what are you going to do with it?"

"Just trust me on this one. You'll see…"

Megumi nodded and touched my sword, and in an instant, the blade was surrounded in ice. By now, Hitomi had started firing a ton of energy bolts at us, so I grabbed my sword and started dodging. Encased in ice, the sword was a lot heavier than it normally was, and my hands were still numb, which didn't help matters. Nonetheless, I was still able to avoid Hitomi's attacks. All I needed was an opening… There! I swung my sword like I did when I fought Akane for the second time, hoping that I could fire out that beam I used last time. And again, my sword glowed, this time in a blue light. A beam fired out right after, this time accompanied by a mini blizzard. I knew it! By applying a certain element to the blade, I could use an elemental attack! The beam hit Hitomi, while the blizzard pushed her and Ryoka much further away. It was clear they had now had enough… While they were down, Megumi and I decided to make our escape, hoping they were too badly beat up to follow. We both changed back to our normal forms and made a break for it.

…...

We both decided to make a stop in the park for a quick rest. We came to a stop near a large tree, and sat down underneath it. Hold on, I remember this tree! This was the one in my dream. The one that made me realise that I was in love with Megumi…

"That was amazing back there!" said Megumi, trying to catch her breath. "How did you know that freezing your sword could make you do that?"

"Just a hunch." I said. "It's like… I can think outside the box. Like I have a creative mind when it comes to fighting. I can just think of interesting strategies like that."

"That can only be a good thing. It means you're less predictable than other Kampfers. I hope this keeps up for you!"

"Yeah, I hope so too. We really came together well there, didn't we?"

"We did. Those two were a lot stronger than they were last time. I wouldn't have survived if I fought them on my own this time. Thanks for being there for me."

"No problem." I said, blushing. My heart was beginning to beat faster. I think… Now should be the best time to tell her…

"You know…" Megumi started. "You didn't tell me what feelings you had for me. Not that I blame you or anything. That fight got rather intense, and we were both preoccupied with staying alive. Can you tell me? Of course, if you don't want to, I fully understand."

"No, I want to tell you." I said, getting up onto my knees and looking Megumi in the eyes. Those beautiful eyes… I continued.

"I didn't know what to think at first. I was so confused about it, and I couldn't think straight. Everything I thought I knew was turned over it's head. But something happened last week while I was in New York. Something that made me realise how I really felt. And I've been looking forward to coming back here so I could tell you. Megumi… I… I… Uh…"

God dammit, Tara, spit it out already! Oh well, there's more than one way to skin a cat…

"What are you trying to say?" asked Megumi, who had also got up on her knees, and edged her way right next to me.

"I think… In this case… Actions speak louder than words."

And with that, I put my arms around her and kissed her. Megumi put her arms around me, too, and our lips stayed together for about a minute. As our mouths parted, Megumi smiled. I'd never seen her so happy.

"Megumi… I love you."

"Wow. Tara… Do you have any idea how happy this makes me? I've loved you from the moment I first saw you, but I never thought you'd feel the same way…"

"Neither did I. But I know now. I love you so much. All I want is to be with you, forever."

With Megumi still in my arms, I gently lowered her onto the grass and lay on top of her. We spent the next five minutes kissing each other passionately, and then spent another ten minutes or so just lying there. Gazing lovingly at each other. I knew there and then that I made the right choice. Megumi made me so happy, and I knew I did the same to her. I just wished this moment could last forever. I did think briefly about her tragic past, and hoped that she would find out exactly what caused her brother to kill her parents. But even if she didn't, I could tell I would give her the strength to carry on in life.

"So, sweetheart…" Megumi cooed into my ear. "How about we go home now? I still want to hear about you trip last week, you know…"

"Sure. Lead the way, honey."

We both got up off the ground and made our way back to Megumi's home, holding hands. Even with that run in with the white Kampfers, this had been the best day of my life. I still couldn't believe it. Megumi and I were finally an item! And I had my first kiss to boot. Yup, nothing could break my mood right now! I just hoped that, after everything we went through, our love would last forever.


	15. Chapter 15: Battle Against Fate

**This is it- the finale of Battle Against Fate has been completed! This one took me a bit longer than I hoped, due to one or two minor unforeseen setbacks, but at least I managed to get it done before I leave for the London Expo tomorrow… This chapter is also the longest I've ever done, which I suppose is fitting for the last chapter.**

**Anyway, this chapter is based around the events of episode 11 of the anime. Or at least it does for a while. Then, it begins to deviate from the original storyline. This new take on events is a bit more dramatic than it was originally- there's none of that singing, or ripped clothes malarkey here. I hope you find it at least a little more satisfying than how it was in the anime. I'm certainly quite happy with how it turned out.**

**Now that this is finally complete, I'll try and work on the next chapters of my other projects. Then, I intend to work on the Battle Against Fate specials, so keep an eye out for those in the not too distant future. Finally, once all that's done, I'll be starting work on the sequel to this! And I must say, I'm really looking forward to it as well. **

**Before I go, I'd like to thank everyone who has read my work, or will read it in the future, and those who left reviews. Every review I get gives me incentive to keep going on this story! In particular, I must thank Ken-Zero, who's long and well detailed reviews for most chapters are always great to read. I hope everyone who's been reading and enjoying this will enjoy what's coming in the future! **

**As ever, please read and review, and I hope you enjoy the climax to Battle Against Fate! **

**Disclaimer- I do not own Kampfer. **

Chapter fifteen- Battle Against Fate

A week had passed since my confession, and ever since then, it had been near impossible to separate myself and Megumi. We even went on our first date a few days ago- which was an amazing experience, I might add! Even now, I couldn't't help but think back to that time in the park when I first told Megumi I loved her. When we were on the ground, and I was looking at her gorgeous eyes. Those beautiful long lashes… That cute purple eyeshadow that perfectly complimented her hair. And her lips… I loved how sticky they were from the lipstick she was wearing. It made kissing her feel even more incredible. I gave a girly sigh as I thought about it all.

"You look happy today." said Megumi, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"How could I not be?" I replied, grabbing hold of her arm. "It's a beautiful day, and I'm with you. I can't think of anything better!"

"Well, let's try not to get ahead of ourselves. We still don't know what Shizuku wants to tell us at the moment…"

Right now, the two of us were on our way to Shizuku's place. Apparently, there was something urgent she wanted to discuss with us. I had no idea what it was, but it was most likely something to do with the fights between the Kampfers.

"So, she didn't tell you what this was about either?"

"No. All she said was that it was important. I can't help but wonder myself. I guess we'll find out when we get there. Ah, here we are!"

We came to a stop by a particularly big house. Way bigger than mine…

"Whoa. She lives here?"

"Yeah. Her parents are businesspeople, so they can afford it. They spend most of their time out of the country though, so Shizuku mainly lives here alone."

"I see. So, shall we knock?"

Megumi nodded and knocked on the door. It wasn't long before it was answered by Shizuku.

"Thank you both for coming." she said. "Please, come in. I've prepared some tea for you."

"Thanks!" I said. We both entered the house and made our way to the sitting room, where we were surprised to see Natsuru sitting down in there too. I guess Shizuku wanted all of us here… Standing on the table was Electrocuted Lynx, giving what seemed to be a cheeky grin. Not that I could really tell from a plushie…

"Oh, hey Natsuru." I said. "You were invited too?"

"Yeah. Although I thought it was just going to be me here with Madam President…" Natsuru replied. No doubt he had as little idea as we did about why we're here.

"I was just saying how clueless he is about love…" said Shizuku. "He really doesn't't seem to get it, unlike you two. Right?"

Natsuru blinked a few times and noticed that Megumi and I were holding hands.

"W-wait a second! You two are dating?" he yelled in surprise.

"Wait, how did you know about us?" I asked Shizuku.

"Megumi told me. You're all she's been able to talk about lately, you know. I was quite surprised myself, but she really does think the world of you."

"It's so nice when a lovely couple like you two get together…" said Electrocuted Lynx. I couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not. Natsuru wasn't entirely sure what to make of all this- he just sat there, looking at Megumi and myself with his mouth wide open.

"So, are you going to tell us why you invited us over? I'm guessing it wasn't to talk about my relationship with Tara." said Megumi.

"It wasn't, no." said Shizuku. "Let's get straight to business, shall we?"

"Uh… shouldn't we wait for Akane and Mikoto to arrive first?" said Natsuru, who finally managed to close his mouth.

"They're not coming." said Shizuku. "I invited Tara and Megumi here because they want to find out why we are made to fight just as much as I do. And I just felt like inviting you in the bargain. I'm sure you want to find out the truth as well, yes?"

"Well, yeah. Some answers would be nice…"

"Well, then." said Shizuku, "This is what I wanted to talk about."

Shizuku waved what appeared to be a black lion plushie in front of us. It's guts were hanging out of it, so it was without doubt an Entrails Animal.

"Didn't I see that at Sakura-San's place?" said Natsuru.

"Burnt Alive Lion." said Shizuku. "I took it when we stayed at her apartment."

"You did? Why?" asked Natsuru.

"Is there something special about this one?" I asked. Instead of answering, Shizuku slapped the plushie around the face a few times. It then came to life with a big yawn.

"Is it time to get up?" it asked.

"He's a Messenger?" said Natsuru.

"It seems he's the original Messenger." said Shizuku.

"Original?" said Megumi. "I get it now- he might know something more about these battles!"

"Exactly." replied Shizuku.

"That old gramps, all he does is sleep." said Electrocuted Lynx. He certainly seemed quite lazy… Shizuku moved Burnt Alive Lion right next to her face.

"Tell them about it." she told him. "Tell them why you turn us into Kampfer and force us to fight each other."

"All righty." said Burnt Alive Lion. "If you don't fight, it'll be a problem."

"Not for us." said Shizuku.

"It's a problem for the Moderators." Burnt Alive Lion replied. He stopped to clear his throat, and gave us the explanation we'd been waiting so long for.

"In a galaxy far, far away," he started, "Two mighty forces are locked in an unending battle, and the Moderators are the mediators between the two. The Moderators came up with a way to end this battle. They chose warriors to represent red versus blue, and thus the Kampfer came into existence. Red or blue, whoever wins will decided the victor in the other galaxy."

"He means we're involved in a proxy battle, and we're fighting in their place." said Shizuku. Jesus, so that's what this is all about. But what's the deal with this battle in another galaxy?

"What the hell?" said Natsuru, angrily grabbing Burnt Alive Lion. "How could you drag us into that?"

"Only the people the Moderators choose can do it. So…" said the plushie, before falling asleep again.

"Hey wait! Hey!" said Natsuru, shaking the plushie. It was no good, however- he wasn't waking up.

"Kaede said this was precious to her." said Shizuku, taking Burnt Alive Lion away from Natsuru. "Do you know what that means?"

Natsuru just blinked at her. I could already tell what this meant, and so could Megumi…

"She's involved with the Moderators." Shizuku said. If any of us doubted it in the past, there was no denying it now. We all received our plushies from Kaede- even the one I found belonged to her. And all four of us became Kampfers. Mikoto got hers at the Cultural Festival, and that too once belonged to Kaede. The pieces fell perfectly into place…

"You mean Sakura-San?" said Natsuru, still not quite believing what he just heard.

"Perhaps the Moderators have their eye on her," said Shizuku, "or perhaps it's the other way around."

"Other way around?" said Natsuru. "Quit making stuff up."

"To be honest with you," said Megumi, "I only wish she were making this up. Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence? All of our Messengers belonged to Sakura, until she gave them to us. And we all know what happened next. Sakura is definitely in on all this, of that I'm now certain."

"You're right." said Shizuku. "She must have realised that her precious doll was missing, but she hasn't said anything. And at the pool…"

"Did something happen there?" said Natsuru. Shizuku nodded.

"Follow me, Natsuru." she said. "Tara, Megumi- feel free to chat among yourselves for a little while. We won't be long…"

Shizuku left the room, with Natsuru not too far behind. He still looked pretty clueless. When they were out of our sight, I turned to Megumi.

"The pool? What's that about?"

"Well, you remember when Akane went on that date with Natsuru? They went to those pools for a few days, as I'm sure you already know. Shizuku and Mikoto also went, presumably to sabotage their together time. They also bought Sakura along. Apparently, a lot of crazy stuff happened there- they were attacked by the white Kampfers, while Natsuru tried to bed Shizuku…"

"He did?"

"Yeah. You know why he did it? Because Sakura told him to. He actually said it himself. It seems like Sakura has some kind of control over him. I'm even willing to bet she actually knows that both the male and female Natsurus are the same person… There was one other thing as well- the morning after, Sakura said something threatening into Shizuku's ear, which confirmed she is indeed involved in this war…"

"How do you know about this? And why didn't you tell me this earlier? Didn't you say you didn't know what we came over here for?"

"Shizuku phoned up yesterday and told me everything about what happened at the pool. However, she never say anything about Burnt Alive Lion, or any potential answers to why we're fighting. I really didn't know what she wanted to talk to us about today. I didn't tell you because I thought Shizuku would fill you in on that while we were here. I'm really sorry. But that's not important right now. We need to think about what to do about Sakura. If she's the one behind this, then it's safe to assume she commands the white Kampfers. It may only be a matter of time before she fights us personally as well- she surely has to suspect that we're on to her…"

"So what should we do? Confront her, or wait for her to make her move?"

"I don't know. I think we should all decide on what the best course of action should be. If we rush into this, it may be just what Sakura is expecting, and we may walk straight into a trap. We still need to be very careful on this matter."

"Yeah, I know. I guess we need to wait and see…"

…...

Shortly afterwards, Natsuru left without saying anything. He probably had a lot on his mind, especially after what he learned about Kaede. It wasn't too long before Megumi and I also decided to go home. We waved goodbye to Shizuku as we left her house, and started our way to Megumi's place. As I thought about what we learned today, something was still bugging me. Something that Megumi was quick to notice.

"What's wrong? Thinking about what that plushie said?"

"Yeah. I can't help but wonder what the deal is with this war in this other galaxy. I don't think we have the full story here. I mean, what are these two "mighty forces" that thing told us about? What are they fighting over? Why did the Moderators choose this planet to settle this conflict? None of this makes much sense to me. There's a lot more to this than what we've been told."

"You're right. It's one of those instances where the answers only lead to more questions. We may not know exactly what's going on, but I do know this Proxy War has to be stopped, before more innocent people get hurt. And not just those who become Kampfers- there's also the people who may get caught in the crossfire… We need to do something about it, and fast."

As Megumi finished talking, we saw Natsuru walking down a nearby path. That's funny, he doesn't live that way…

"Hmmm. Wonder where he's off to?" I said.

"I'm not sure. Unless… Oh, no! He isn't!"

"He isn't what?"

"I think Sakura's apartment is in the direction he's heading. He might be going there to try and confirm that she's involved with the Moderators."

"But if that's the case… Shit… He's the most vulnerable one out of the lot of us, due to his crush on Kaede. We have to stop him!"

"No! That might just be what Sakura wants us to do. He's already endangering himself- we can't risk putting ourselves in danger, too!"

"But he could be walking right into a trap!"

"I know. If what I heard from Shizuku is correct, Sakura may be able to manipulate him into doing her will. She may even do the same to any of us as well. It's simply too dangerous for us to follow him right now."

"But-"

"Tara, I know you're worried about Natsuru. So am I. But we can't just go rushing into this. Once I get home, I'll let Shizuku know what's going on, and we can think of something from there. Otherwise, we're just risking our lives unnecessarily. Tara, Please promise me you won't do anything about this until we have a plan, okay?"

"Okay. I promise."

"Good. I know this may seem cold, but I don't want to lose you. I don't think Sakura would finish Natsuru off that quickly, so he should be okay for now. At least, I hope so…"

Megumi gave me a quick kiss, and we headed back to Megumi's place. Once we got there, I waved goodbye to her and made my way home. Or, at least that's what I wanted Megumi to believe. As soon as I left the vicinity of her house, I changed direction and headed in the direction Natsuru was going when we saw him. Sorry Megumi, but I'm really worried about Natsuru. This couldn't wait. It'll most likely be too late for him if we do nothing now…

…...

I eventually found myself at an impressive looking apartment block. I was certain this was where Kaede lives, and where Natsuru went. It wasn't easy finding this place- I had to ask around about Natsuru, and see if anyone saw him. Thankfully, I was ultimately pointed in the direction of the building I was now looking at. The question was, which apartment was Kaede's? I randomly pressed one of the buttons on the intercom and waited for a response.

"Hello? Who is it?" came the voice of a rather cranky middle age woman.

"Um, hello. I was wondering if you know a Kaede Sakura in this building?" I replied.

"Oh, you mean that weird girl who keeps those creepy stuffed animals? All I know is, she lives on the sixth floor. Try there."

"Okay, thanks!" I said, before the woman hung up. I then pressed one of the intercom buttons that corresponded to the sixth floor, hoping Kaede would be the one answering.

"Hello?" came a more familiar voice. Looks like I found her.

"Hi, Sakura-San? It's Tara here. You know, Tara Goodman? From school? Can I come in for a little bit?"

"Oh! Hello Tara! I'm so happy you wanted to come over! Of course you can come in. I'll be waiting for you!"

She sounded genuinely happy to hear from me. It's hard to believe someone who sounds as cheerful as her could possibly be responsible for something so terrible… Making a mental note of the number next to the button, as I knew that would also be Kaede's apartment number, I entered the building. It wasn't long before I found myself in front of her front door. I felt a little nervous as I knocked on the door- I could tell something wasn't right here. I needed to keep my guard up. Kaede was quick to answer the door after I knocked.

"It's nice to see you again, Tara. Did your headache clear up in the end?" she said.

"Well, if it didn't, there'd be something seriously wrong with me…" I replied. "Yeah, it's okay now. Nothing to worry about."

"I'm so glad to hear that. Please, come on in. Would you like something to drink?"

"Uh… No, thank you." I said as I walked in. I didn't have much time to focus on my surroundings, thanks to that strange sense of dread that I was feeling at the moment… Was Natsuru still here? Kaede interrupted my thoughts.

"Are you okay? You look a little on edge."

"Yeah, I'm okay." I said. "Hey, I was wondering- have you seen Natsuru today? Only I've been trying to contact him, but I'm not getting any answer from him. My friends and I have been looking all over for him."

"Oh. Has he gone missing? No, I haven't seen him at all today. I did see the other Natsuru, though. The girl."

"Really? Do you know where she is? Only we've been looking for her, too. We haven't heard from either of them today, and we're really worried."

"Hmmm. Let's see…" Kaede thought for a moment. "Oh yes! That's right. She's still here. Right behind you, in fact…"

Kaede said that last part in a more sinister way than I was expecting. Before I could contemplate anything, I felt a hard blow strike me from behind. That was the last thing I felt before I fell to the floor and blacked out.

So much for keeping my guard up…

…...

"..ar..? ..T..ra? Tara! Are you okay?"

I slowly opened my eyes to see Megumi looking at me. She had a look on her face that showed a great sense of relief, as well as disappointment… I tried to speak, but my words were badly muffled. I couldn't move, either. I soon realised that my hands were tied behind my back, while my legs had been tied together. Looking to the side, I saw Akane, Shizuku and Mikoto there as well. Wait a second, where the hell am I! And how'd I get tied up and gagged like this?

"Hold on. Let me get you out of this." said Megumi, gently. She untied me, allowing me to get up and remove the gag around my mouth. Finally getting my bearings, I realised that we were on the school rooftop. The sun was also starting to set. But how'd I get here?

"Are you okay, Tara? What happened?" said Akane. I was almost hesitant to say anything, as I knew Megumi wouldn't be happy with my answer.

"I… Uh… Megumi and I saw Natsuru heading in the direction of Kaede's place after we spoke to Shizuku earlier today, and I was worried about him. So I kind of… went there myself. Even though Megumi made me promise not to. So, I went over there to see if Natsuru was there, and the next thing I know, everything went black, and I woke up here…"

I looked over at Megumi, and saw how upset she looked. I can't really blame her. I broke my promise to her and betrayed her trust. However, a thought quickly popped into my head.

"What are you guys doing here, anyway?"

"Natsuru called us up here." said Shizuku.

"Awww, I thought he was going to confess his love for me." said Mikoto. "But then I saw Akane and Madam President here as well… Agh, I dunno what's goin' on here."

" I can't say I'm not suspicious." said Shizuku. "Megumi called me a little while ago to say that Natsuru went over to see Sakura. Of course, since we all knew he'd be playing right into her hands, we had to think up a plan of action. But then, Natsuru called me to say he wanted to speak with me up here. I had my doubts about it, so I asked Megumi to come here with me, just in case."

"It looks like she was right to be wary of this as well." said Megumi. "The fact that Akane and Mikoto are also here, and that we found you tied up here can only mean one thing."

"What's that?" asked Akane. Suddenly, Shizuku looked at us with a serious expression on her face.

"They're coming!" she said. At that instant, we all dodged to avoid an energy bolt that was fired in our direction! Looks like Megumi and Shizuku called it right- this was a trap! We all instantly transformed and blocked the attacks that were launched at us. We braced ourselves as our assailants stopped attacking and landed right in front of us. There were four of them- three of which I instantly recognised. Looks like the white Kampfers decided to attack us all at once…

"I'm Sayaka Nakao." said Sayaka, in a rather stuck up fashion. "I didn't want to introduce myself, but I did so for your sake, okay? Be grateful."

"Fighting for who I am, my eyes blaze with a million volts!" said Hitomi, who had an orb of electricity in her hand. "I'm the graceful tomboy, Hitomi Minagawa!"

"It's time to play bloody doctor!" said the only girl I didn't recognise. She had pink hair with red ribbons in, and was wearing a uniform different to the school ones I was familiar with. She was clearly from a different school to ours. She was brandishing a weapon similar to Shizuku's. "I'm Rika Ueda-chan!"

"Umm, blood falls like rain even when the sky is clear." said Ryoka, who still looked kind of nervous. "Maybe it's more blood than it is rain? I'm Ryoka Yamakawa."

"The white Kampfers." said Shizuku.

"This isn't a confession, it's a trap!" said Mikoto. Um, I think we already figured that one out…

"We'll be rewarded for defeating you." said Hitomi.

"Rewarded? By who?" asked Akane. "Who the fuck is giving you orders?"

"If you want to know…" started Rika.

"You'll have to defeat us first." Sayaka finished.

"Are you ready?" asked Ryoka. We all readied our weapons- except for Megumi, who readied her hand to use her Zauber power- and we all charged at each other, ready for a big showdown. But after just a few attacks, we managed to floor the lot of them. Okay… That was a lot easier than I was expecting… Please don't tell me that's the best they've got. Seeing them with their backs against the railing so soon was an almost pitiful sight.

"Hmmm." said Megumi. "I'd have though they would have put up more of a fight than this, considering they're all fighting together. We had trouble fighting two of them, but we fight the lot of them, and we defeat them in an instant? That can't be right."

"'Sup, bitches?" said Akane, pointing her gun at the defeated Kampfers. "How 'bout y'all tell us who's pullin' the strings here?"

"I can't believe I lost." said Hitomi, angrily.

"I just wasn't paying attention." said Sayaka. "It's not like you guys are strong or anything. Don't misunderstand."

"I'm getting all teary-eyed." said Rika.

"We don't have enough battle strength." said Ryoka.

"I stand corrected." said Megumi. "Looks like that really was their best… That was so disappointing."

"So, are you going to tell us, or not?" I asked the white Kampfers.

"Yeah! Quit yapping and tell us already!" said Mikoto. Suddenly, I heard footsteps not too far in the distance. Megumi and Shizuku heard them too, and the three of us looked to our left.

"Something up?" said Mikoto. Both she and Akane looked in the same direction the rest of were and saw a slender figure walking towards us. An all too familiar looking girl…

"Natsuru." said Shizuku, looking surprised. Natsuru came to a stop, looked at us for a second, and shot a fireball at us. We just barely managed to jump away from it. Shit, what's up with her? Then again, I could probably guess…

"The fuck are you doin', Natsuru?" said Akane. Natsuru raised her arm again. As she did, we saw her eyes. They looked blank- like she had no emotion, or something. That confirmed it… If what Megumi said earlier about Kaede being able to manipulate Natsuru, then this means…

"She's being controlled. I think I know now how I got KO'ed back at Kaede's place…" I said.

"Controlled? By whom?" said Mikoto.

"By…" said Shizuku. Before she could finish, Natsuru fired at us again, and we had to jump away and avoid it. As we landed, Shizuku crossed her blades, ready to attack.

"Madam President, you can't…" said Mikoto.

"I'm just going to pin her down." said Shizuku. Akane moved to her side and aimed her gun at Natsuru, who was now advancing slowly towards us.

"I'll do it." said Akane. "I'm her partner!"

"In that case, I'll help you guys." Megumi said, moving to Akane's side.

"Not without me, you're not." I said, moving to Megumi's side. We all nodded, and rushed towards Natsuru. As Shizuku threw her chain at Natsuru, Akane fired her gun at her, while Megumi created a few icicles and threw them at her. However, the bullets and icicles were sliced in half by an unknown power. That same power also deflected Shizuku's blade!. I suddenly stopped in my tracks. Right in front of Natsuru was Kaede, armed with a gun and a katana. She was the one who stopped the attacks! So it was true. She really was the one behind this…

"Kaede-sama!" said the white Kampfers in unison. Their faces lit up at the sight of her.

"Goodness, I thought you girls would be a bit more useful." said Kaede. "I'll punish you later."

"Kaede-sama…"

Wow. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were actually looking forward to being punished. Not quite sure what to make of that…

"I see. So it's all yer doin'." said Akane, pointing her gun at Kaede. "I've never liked ya, but now I hate ya even more!"

"Don't get so angry, bitch." Kaede replied.

"Who's a bitch?" said Akane, firing a shot. However, Kaede cut in half without even blinking. Damn, she's fast. This could get ugly…

"You're not a Kampfer, are you?" asked Shizuku. Oh yeah, now that I think about it, she's not wearing a bracelet, is she?

"Typical Shizuku." said Kaede.

"I've never seen you wear a bracelet. What's your objective? Are you a moderator?" said Shizuku.

"You'll have to beat me to find out." said Kaede.

"Natsuru! You're siding with her?" said Akane, looking at Natsuru.

"I don't think so." Said Megumi. "Sakura has her under some kind of spell, or something. If we can't snap her out of it, we'll be in serious trouble."

"You fucking bitch!" Akane shouted at Kaede, understandably pissed at what Megumi just said. I was starting to feel the same way. How DARE she do this to Natsuru, to all of us!

"Why are you even doing this anyway? What are you trying to accomplish?" I shouted.

"I want to get rid of you." said Kaede, before turning to Shizuku.

"Was her name Tamiko?"

Shizuku gasped.

"You're just like her." Kaede continued.

"No, don't tell me you…" said Shizuku.

"Hmmm, I wonder?" Kaede replied, with a nasty laugh. "You're all just getting in the way of the Moderators. I'll get rid of you for rebelling against them." She looked in the direction of the white Kampfers, then continued.

" These girls are neither red nor blue, but white Kampfers. They were made just to defeat you."

"What… What do you plan to do with Natsuru?" said Mikoto.

"We'll make her our ally." Kaede replied. "We don't need the male Natsuru, but we do need the female one."

"What do you mean?" said Shizuku.

"Thanks to you, my plan was ruined." said Kaede. "I never imagined red and blue would combine forces. Natsuru-san was the deciding factor. If Natsuru-san chose to be a boy, you would win. If he chose to be a girl, we would win. Simple, right? Mishima-san, do you know why your side would win if he chose to remain a boy?"

"Like hell I do!" yelled Akane.

"Because he loves you, Shizuku and Mikoto." said Kaede. Woah. Is that for real?

"Fuckin' A, I don't get it!" came Akane's reply. "How does that decide anything?"

"That's how it was." said Kaede, rubbing her hand across Natsuru's face. "And he's chosen to be a girl… She chose me. Wanna know why I haven't killed you yet? I want Natsuru to finish you off. Who better to deal the final blow than the very person you love…"

"What makes you so fucking sure she chose you?" I growled, my anger reaching burning point. "The only reason she's doing your bidding is because you've controlled her somehow. She hasn't really chosen you at all!"

"She loves me. That's all there is to it. She prefers being a girl to a disgusting boy. You've got a lot of nerve to suggest she doesn't love me… And to think, I expected so much from you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"It means, my dear Goodman, that the Moderators saw a lot of potential in you as a Kampfer. Behind that timid shell of yours, there was a fierce warrior waiting to get out. So I waited for the right opportunity to give you Pierced Sea Turtle. When I saw you miss your bus home that day, I knew all along you'd walk home instead. So, I left Pierced Sea Turtle in the park, knowing you'd pick it up and try to find it's owner."

"Wait, you mean you left that thing especially for me? You intended to make me a Kampfer from the start?"

"Of course. And the Moderators were right. You've grown into a very strong fighter. You could have been one of the strongest Kampfers around. But you had to deny your fate, like your friends. It's almost a shame to finish you off here… but rules are rules. You'll all pay the price for refusing to fight."

I had heard enough. It was time to finish this. First, I'll bring Natsuru back to her senses. Then, I'll remove Kaede's head from her shoulders. After everything she's done, she's gonna pay big time… I gripped my sword and charged towards Natsuru, ramming her. As she slid across the floor, The others looked at me.

"Tara, you're not going to-" said Megumi.

"Don't worry. I'm only going to try and knock some sense into her. I'm saving any serious violence for Sakura." I said.

"Then let us give you a hand!" said Mikoto. Akane, Shizuku and Megumi nodded, and rushed to my side. But before they could reach me, the white Kampfers attacked and stopped them.

"You're not going anywhere!" said Hitomi.

"We-we won't let you help her." said Ryoka. Damn, looks like my friends won't be able to give me any back up… Suddenly, Shizuku reached into her breast pocket and pulled something out.

"Tara! Catch!" she said, before throwing it at me. I caught it and took a quick look. It looked like some kind of mobile phone charm, in the shape of an orange sea snail. What the hell?

"Natsuru bought it for me on our date." said Shizuku. "It might help return her to her senses." Of course! I forgot that Natsuru went out on a date with Shizuku. That was the same day I went out with Akane- the day before I went to New York! Kind of a thoughtless gift though. Oh well, if it helped…

The white Kampfers began a new assault on my friends- meaning it was just me and Natsuru, who had just got up from the ground. She shot a fireball at me, leaving me to raise my sword to protect myself. As the fire hit my sword, I was surrounded by red hot flames- my sword being the only thing stopping me from being burned to a crisp. Not that it didn't make me feel hot, mind. I knew this would be difficult- I couldn't afford to do any serious damage to Natsuru, so I couldn't use my sword much in combat here. I placed my sword on my back, jumped another fireball from Natsuru and landed a flying kick on her. She stumbled back slightly, and then punched me in the face. I managed to catch another punch, and then another, leaving both of Natsuru's fists in the palms of my hands. We struggled for a little while, until Natsuru kneed me in the stomach, releasing her. As I staggered backwards, Natsuru hit me with a powerful roundhouse kick, using so much force that it knocked me through the rooftop railings and all the way down to the school grounds. Luckily, I was able to land on my feet before I ended up becoming pavement pizza. Before I could get my bearings, Natsuru dropped down from the rooftop and kicked me hard as she landed. I was knocked back some considerable way, but I once again managed to recover and land on my feet. Looking around, I saw that my sword was on the floor in the distance. I really needed to get that back, but first, I needed to deal with Natsuru. I ran towards her again, avoiding the fireballs she threw my way, until I finally got close enough. I slid underneath her legs, then, once behind her, I jumped backwards and landed on her shoulders. Gripping her head between my ankles, I jumped and flung her forwards using my legs. As she picked herself up, someone grabbed her from behind!

"Megumi!" I said. It was indeed Megumi holding Natsuru down. Wasn't she fighting the white Kampfers?

"Tara, quick!" shouted Megumi. "Show her that charm and see if it brings her back!"

"Wait- weren't you-"

"The others are taking care of the white Kampfers. Akane told me to come and help you, and held them off as I made my way down to you. Hurry! I can't hold Natsuru down for much longer!"

I nodded and waved the charm in Natsuru's face.

"Natsuru… Does this mean anything to you? Shizuku said you bought this for her, is that right?" I said. Natsuru looked at it and gasped. Her eyes seemed to change somewhat- was it working?

"That… That charm! Shizuku kept it?"

"She did, yeah. This thing means a lot to her, you know." I replied.

"It does? Shizuku… She…"

"Yes! I think you did it!" said Megumi. "I think she's returning to normal!" Suddenly, an unseen assailant charged towards Megumi and struck her, knocking her down and freeing Natsuru. It was Kaede- she had clearly been watching everything, and wasn't about to lose Natsuru in a hurry. I picked Megumi up from the ground, and we both turned to face Kaede, who now had Natsuru in her arms.

"That's not going to work." said Kaede. "I already told you, Natsuru chose me. She loves me, and I love her. Nothing you say or do will change that. Natsuru… Show them how much you love me…"

Kaede moved her lips towards Natsuru's. but before they could properly kiss, Natsuru jolted, and pushed her away. Does that mean she's back to normal now?

"I'm sorry, Sakura-san. But if I have to be a girl to be with you, then I can't accept your love." Her voice sounded full of energy, and she even turned to Megumi and I and gave a smile. Yes! She snapped out of it! Thank you, Shizuku!

"W-what?" said Kaede. "Don't tell me you would rather be a boy than be with me? No! I want you to stay as a girl!"

Natsuru's bracelet glowed, and almost immediately she returned to her normal, male self. He then moved over to Megumi's side.

"How dare you do this to me!" said Kaede. "I love your female self. Why would you want to throw away the only chance you'll ever have to be with me?"

"Because it's not love." said Megumi. "Not really. What you and Natsuru have is nothing like what Tara and I have. You've done nothing but manipulate Natsuru from the very start, whereas I never forced Tara into anything. I fell in love with Tara, but I had to accept that I'd most likely never have her. All I wanted was for her to be happy. All you wanted was to get rid of Natsuru's male side, and make his female side fall in love with you- no matter what. Natsuru to you is nothing more than a plaything. Tara, to me, is everything. You're not in love- you're just obsessed."

"Megumi-san…" said Natsuru. Kaede was starting to get angry at Megumi's words.

"And who are you obsessed over?" Megumi continued. "A girl who doesn't really exist. The female Natsuru isn't real. She's just an illusion, if you really stop to think about it. The real Natsuru is the male one. He chose to be a boy, which only further proves my point. Face it- he's made his mind up. And the Natsuru you love is nothing more than a fake. You were nothing more than a phoney couple, while Tara and I are genuine. That's why you failed. You can manipulate Natsuru as much as you like, but unless your love is genuine, you won't get very far. The truth is, you know nothing about true love."

"I see. So that's how it's going to be. Then, if I can't have the female Natsuru, no one will have either! This is as good a time as any to destroy the two of you as well!" said Kaede, in a rage. She immediately swung her katana with such incredible force, that she blew Megumi straight back, while Natsuru and I were both flung in opposite directions. Finding myself on the floor again, I tried to pick myself up, but my body felt too numb. Looks like I can't get up for a little while… I looked across to see Natsuru much further away. A bit closer, I saw Kaede advancing towards Megumi, who was closest to her. Megumi managed to get up, just in time to use her Zauber to create a sword and use it to block a sword attack from Kaede.

"Since you're closest, and you dared to question my love for Natsuru, I'll happily kill you first!" said Kaede, swinging her sword again. She brought it down on Megumi's sword, which then shattered. No way! Megumi always made her sword so durable. If Kaede could break it that easily… Megumi raised her hand, ready to use her power again, but Kaede was too fast, and delivered a brutal kick to her stomach. I could only lie there, watching in horror as Megumi coughed up blood and fell to the floor. This was horrible to watch. Please, Kaede… Leave her alone. I can't bear to watch this any more… Kaede moved over to Megumi, who was clutching her stomach.

"This is what happens to those who defy the Moderators." said Kaede, raising her sword over Megumi's head. "Don't worry. Your girlfriend will be joining you soon enough."

I knew Megumi was finished. I closed my eyes, not wanting to watch her last moments. I heard a loud SWISH!, and then… nothing. Until I heard I heard Megumi's voice.

"N-Natsuru?"

I opened my eyes and looked across. In between Kaede and Megumi, was indeed Natsuru. He had caught Kaede's katana before it reached Megumi.

"That's enough, Sakura-san!" said Natsuru, his hand still firmly around Kaede's katana. He wasn't about to let go. "I won't let my friends get hurt anymore. Not even by you. No. ESPECIALLY not by you!"

I looked over to my right, and saw my sword a few inches before me. How convenient- I'd been blown right next to it! Knowing Natsuru and Megumi were still in trouble, I tried to reach over and grab it. I was starting to recover from that attack, so I was able to move somewhat. I just hope I can get up in time…

"Don't stand in my way." Kaede said to Natsuru. "You're only going to die earlier. Of course, I may forgive you- if you transform and stay with me…"

"No." said Natsuru. "I already said- If it's a choice between being a boy or being with you, I choose to be a boy. Megumi's right. My female side isn't really me. This is the real me, and if you don't like it, I'm afraid you're out of luck."

I finally managed to reach over and grab my sword. Plunging it into the ground, I used it to get myself up. I was still a bit groggy, but I had to do something. Placing my sword behind my back, I moved as quickly as I could to the scene in front of me. Kaede didn't notice me approach- let's just hope it stays that way until I can get there!

"Please, Sakura-san, stop this! It doesn't have to be this way!" said Natsuru.

"It does. If you refuse to fight, you must be dealt with. That's how it has to be. You have no choice but to fight. It's your fate!" said Kaede, before finally punching Natsuru in the chest. He fell to the ground pretty hard, right next to Megumi. By this time, however, I had made my way to the scene, and was right behind Kaede.

"Hey, Sakura." I said, tapping her on the shoulder. "It's not your place to decide our fate!"

I then punched Sakura in the face. I was so angry at what had been happening, that the punch had a huge amount of force to it. Man, that felt good. Kaede fell back, and near fell over, but she just barely managed to stay on her feet.

"You… You little bitch!" she said, touching the bruise on her cheek. Almost as angry as I was, she swung her katana at me. Just as it reached me, I drew my sword and stopped the attack. She then tried slashing at me in a frenzy, but I was able to block those as well. As we clashed swords, I took the time to think. Even in my enraged state, I couldn't afford to get reckless, especially considering how fast and strong Kaede was. Just then, I sensed an opening in Kaede's defence, and that was all I needed. I struck at her katana, knocking it out of her hand and into the air. As it landed, I grabbed it with my open hand. Kaede was put out a little by this, but she wasn't about to go down without a fight. She made her handgun appear and gripped onto it, pointing it at me. She started firing, but armed with two swords, they were no problem for me to stop. As I cut through all the bullets, Megumi and Natsuru, both of whom had managed to get up, looked on, impressed. Eventually, the hail of bullets began to slow down, and I took that opportunity. Using Kaede's katana, I sliced her gun in half, before charging towards her with both swords. As soon as I was next to her, I swung both swords, then came to a stop behind her. Looking forwards, I heard a loud thud right behind me.

Kaede had fallen.

I turned around and saw Kaede flipping over onto her back, trying to get up again. However, I walked up to her and stabbed her through the arm with her katana, pinning her down. As she clutched her wounded arm, I pointed my sword close to her neck.

"D-damn. You're tougher than you look…" said Kaede.

"Don't give me that shit, you little cunt." I said, still furious. "You're the one who made me like this. You brought this on yourself."

I suddenly heard another loud thud nearby. Looking to my left, I saw all of the white Kampfers drop all the way from the rooftop to the ground, defeated. Shizuku, Akane and Mikoto dropped down themselves, looking quite pleased with themselves. Thank god they managed to make it through all right.

"Sweet!" said Mikoto. "Looks like you managed to bag Sakura too!"

I nodded, then turned my attention back to Kaede. I had her right where I wanted her.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked. "It won't do you any good. As long as you refuse to fight, the Moderators will still try to get rid of you. This is just the beginning."

"No, this is where it ends." I said, tears forming in my eyes. "I hate you for what you've done. You sicken me. So many innocent lives destroyed, all for your stupid Proxy War? How could you do such a thing? HOW COULD YOU? You deserve everything that's coming to you!"

I pointed my sword downwards towards Kaede's heart.

"Tara…" said Megumi.

"I-is she really going to do it?" said Natsuru.

"What the fuck are you waiting for?" said Akane. "Finish that bitch off!"

I looked Kaede in the eyes. I still couldn't believe that someone who acted as sweet and innocent as she did could do something so evil. But she did. And she was about to get what she deserved.

"I hope you rot in hell." I said. "And I hope that all the people who died because of you torment you for all eternity."

I gripped the handle of my sword with both hands and stabbed downwards. Everyone gasped as I looked down at what I did. I looked down to see my sword in the ground, in between Kaede's arm. I- I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to kill another person. Not even someone who truly deserved it. I released my sword and changed back to my normal form. As my sword disappeared, I looked down at Kaede, who chuckled.

"Heh. Guess you didn't have the guts to do it. How disappointing. I was hoping you'd be a powerful Kampfer eventually, but you simply don't have the killer instinct for it. You're simply too weak. You'll never be a strong Kampfer with that attitude."

"Maybe not." I said, quietly. "But it does make me a strong human being. I don't care if I'm a strong Kampfer or not. I have what truly counts, and that's all I want. Get the fuck out of here. You're in no condition to fight, so you'll only be making things worse for yourself."

Kaede made her katana disappear, removing it from her arm. She then got herself up from the ground- quite slowly, since she was in a really bad state. She looked around, and saw that not only was I in fairly good condition, but Shizuku, Akane and Mikoto were also on peak form. Neither she or the white Kampfers would stand a chance right now.

"Hitomi! Sayaka! Rika! Ryoka! We're done for today. Let's go!" Kaede said, still struggling to stay up.

"Yes, ma'am!" said the white Kampfers, as Kaede turned to Natsuru.

"Natsuru… You'll choose me as a woman in the end." she said.

And with that, they all jumped away. Good riddance. At least we could finally relax for now. Everyone else reverted back to normal, and Shizuku, Akane and Mikoto looked at Natsuru.

"Natsuru! You chose to be a boy! Does this mean you've chosen us?" said Mikoto, rushing at Natsuru and grabbing hold of his arm- knocking Megumi over in the process.

"Uh… I…" said Natsuru. He was interrupted when Shizuku grabbed his other arm.

"Natsuru, if you want a kiss…" she said, before kissing Natsuru, "…I'll give you one whenever you want."

"Madam President, that's cheap!" said Mikoto, giving Natsuru a kiss of her own. "He-he, that was my first kiss."

Akane pushed Mikoto to one side and also kissed Natsuru.

"That was my first kiss too." she said. "…With a boy… That's the first time I've kissed you."

Seeing this, Mikoto grabbed Natsuru's hand and planted it on her butt.

"He's groping my butt!" she said. "I'm a step ahead!"

No sooner had that happened, Shizuku grabbed Natsuru's other hand and placed it on her breast. Natsuru yelped- partially because of what Shizuku had just done, but mostly because she used the hand he used to stop Kaede from killing Megumi. It was still pretty bloody from the cut he received when he grabbed that katana.

"We do this all the time." she said, clearly unfazed by the fact that she'd have to wash her blouse once she got home.

"HAVE YOU NO SHAME?" shouted Mikoto.

"Look who's talking." said Shizuku.

"I don't mind if he touches me, either!" said Akane, also grabbing Natsuru's arm and put it on her leg.

"We shouldn't…!" said Natsuru, looking quite flustered. Okay, after everything that just happened, everyone's focusing more on Natsuru, rather than why I let Kaede go? Go figure. While everyone else was busy fighting over Natsuru, I walked over to Megumi and picked her up.

"C'mon, sweetie. Let's get you up." I said. "Are you okay?"

"I think eating's going to hurt for a few days, but I'll recover. I won't go down that easily." Megumi replied.

"Thank god. Umm… Megumi… I'm sorry. For going after Natsuru when you made me promise me not to. I just… I just couldn't leave it alone. You trusted me to keep my word, and I broke that. I'm so sorry."

Megumi looked at me sternly.

"Just consider yourself lucky you were only used as part of a trap. What if Sakura tried to control you as well, or worse, what if she killed you on the spot? You mean everything to me. If anything ever happened to you, do you know how unhappy I'd be?"

"I know. I promise I'll never do anything like that again. We're all in this together, so we should act like it. I don't want to lose you either."

"Thanks."

"Say… Megumi? Do you think I did the right thing? Not killing Sakura? Considering everything she's done…"

"I don't know. I guess it's a complicated matter. In any case, this definitely isn't the last we'll see of her. Or the white Kampfers. We're going to have to be ready at all times. By the way, Tara?"

"Yeah?"

"I really like how you defeated Sakura back there. Using her own sword along with yours was a genius move. However did you think of that?"

"Would you believe me if I said I thought it up in a dream?"

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

I paced towards Megumi and put my arms around her.

"Who knows, maybe one day I'll show you how that dream ended…" I said, in my most seductive voice.

"Why does that make me feel aroused somehow?" said Megumi, smiling.

"You'll find out someday." I replied.

"I'm looking forward to it. Anyway, how about we go home, and I'll tend to your wounds?"

"I think you need it more than I do! But sure, that sounds good. Let's go, Megu-chan!"

Megumi and I held hands as we left the school grounds, leaving the other girls squabbling over Natsuru. We came a lot closer to the truth today, but there were still so many unanswered questions. How did this Proxy War come about? Why was this planet chosen? What are the origins of this war between these two mysterious forces in another galaxy? And has Natsuru really chosen all three of the girls that were so desperately vying for his affections? And what did I want to fight for? After all this time, I still hadn't figured out my own reason for fighting. These questions were only the tip of the iceberg. However, right now, I wasn't thinking about any of that. All I knew was, it was time for a long rest. And boy, did we deserve it.

Although I was willing to bet that poor Natsuru wasn't going to get a moment's peace at all…


End file.
